Resonance
by Zeromaru Chaos Mode
Summary: He has one goal: To keep her alive. To change her fate. Of course...he's not about to leave Luke hanging either. He will rip their world open, and show them what true power really is. after all, we do crazy things, when we're in love.
1. Meeting

**Resonance**

"C'mon already! We wasted enough time!"

The group followed the errant Luke. His antics grating on everyone's nerves, save for Ion. That one has the patience of a god.

They had reached the entrance to the Deo Pass, a rocky mountain road used to reach the mining town of Akzeriuth, their ultimate destination. While highly treacherous, and unused for normal travel, it was the only way through to reach Akzeriuth, for passage by Sea was far too risky, and was used by Dorian General Van Grants, elder brother to the team's own Tear Grants.

However…Luke knew something the others didn't…well, more like, he had a much higher agenda than just helping out at Akzeriuth. He was labeled Ambassador of Kimlasca, to improve relations between Kimlasca and Malkuth by means of assisting the people of the mining town. Not only that…

_The sooner we get there, the sooner I can become a Hero, and be free!_

His goal…was different…and unknown to him, he was about to encounter a barrier that, when passed, would lead to a different outcome of his entire life…

* * *

**ZAP**

"Gah what the hell?!"

"Wait…what?"

A semi-transparent wall barred their way to the mountain pass. On the wall itself glowed an unusual glyph, one none of them had ever encountered before.

The glyph was comprised of seven triangles and a circle, inside a much larger series of rings. When looked at carefully, the inside resembled the universal symbol for Hazardous material, surrounded by three more triangles, one above the center upside-down triangle, one pointing diagonally down and to the left on the left straight edge of the center, and one pointing down and to the right on the right side. These three triangles were slightly dimmer than the others, as well as slightly smaller, as if they were added as an afterthought.

"Oh dammit we don't have time for this!" Luke drew his blade and struck at the wall, only to be repelled. Jade and Anise prepared spells…when a voice called out.

"Not…the best idea."

They paused their casting, holding the gathering of fonons in place, as a stranger stepped from out behind one of the many large rocks. His hair was black as night, and just barely reached past his ears. Dark brown eyes took in the group, framed by light brown skin. He wore a short-sleeved shirt with a black denim vest with, unseen by them at the moment, a dark red version of the symbol behind him. Light blue jeans and a pair of flimsy looking sandals adorned his lower half.

Jade subtly eyed the youth with suspicion. "And how would you know?"

"I made it."

"What?!"

Luke cut in. "Dammit take it down then! We don't have time for this!"

The youth looked at Luke…and smirked.

"Want past this wall?"

"Yes!"

"Then duel me."

Immediately the group tensed, and the youth shook his head.

"No no…just the redhead."

"What? Why me?"

"Simple. I want to see how strong you are…Luke Fon Fabre."

Tear inquired: "How do you know his name?"

"I know a lot about him. His favorite color is oddly enough, blue, like the ocean he's only seen a few times in his life. His dream is to finally be able to move around the world freely, his favorite food doesn't exist, he just eats whatever's in front of him…oh and he was kidnapped by the Malkuth kingdom for reasons he doesn't know, and everyone assumes that due to the trauma of the event he lost his memory. He hates it when everyone treats him like an idiot just because he doesn't know much about the world outside his manor-

"HOW THE HELL DO YOU KNOW ALL THAT?!" Luke exploded with fear and anger. The youth's response put the rest of the group on edge.

"I know because it is my duty to know, it is my purpose."

"That…"

"Doesn't make sense. It's not supposed to. Now…I thought you didn't have time to waste."

"Damn right we don't!"

Jade and Anise continued prepping their spells when the youth held out a hand.

"Uh-uh. I gave you my terms. The red-head duels me."

Jade simply smirked. "I assume that this barrier is keyed to your life. If we kill you, it falls."

"True…but if I die, so does the little trap."

That made everyone pause, confused…until Anise exclaimed. "ION!"

They all whirled around to see the young Fon Master surrounded by glowing black broadswords, swirling around his person.

"Those swords are also keyed to my life force, with a final command in place that if my connection to them ends for any reason outside of my incanting them to fade, that little 'cage' will collapse, and you'll have a very well kabob'd kid."

"If you kill the Fon-Master, you'll have an entire planet after your blood!"

The youth turned to Guy.

"But you see, Sir Gailardia, it wouldn't have been 'me' that killed him. Those swords are harmless unless I dictate so. And I have dictated them to be harmless unless my phantom link to them is severed by any other than my own will. While they surround him, he cannot be reached by friend OR foe. Therefore, it would be seen as _your _fault he died, since my end came at your hand, and his end came because my end did."

Guy relaxed his stance slightly. "…you have a point."

Natalia thought otherwise. "Guy! You cannot be serious! He is threatening this entire effort!"

"No, I threaten no-one. I want one thing, and that is to Duel Luke."

"Fine…then I'll just have to kick your ass!"

Luke drew his blade and charged, ignoring everyone's cries to wait. _This guy doesn't even have a weapon! This'll be cake!_

Or so he thought.

In a flash of black, his overhead swing was blocked by a glowing black sword, much like the ones that surround Ion that very moment.

"What?!"

"Like them? They're called Phantom Blades. It's a collection of fonic energy gathered and temporarily solidified into the form of a sword." Effortlessly, the youth repelled Luke, and flicked the wrist holding his weapon in an underhand motion. A small blast of energy was released and bowled over Luke.

"Wh-what the hell?"

"**Azure Edge**. A wind based attack. Perhaps you should try a bit harder Luke."

The redhead got to his feet and swung his fist in an uppercut, releasing a small wave of energy along the ground. The youth easily sidestepped and then blocked the horizontal follow-up swing. With a quick push, Luke stumbled back only to get a fist embedded in his gut.

A fist that quickly began to glow violet.

"**Reppashou!"**

The energy detonated in the palm of the youth's hand, sending Luke flying backward. Luke recovered in mid-air, and ran right back towards the youth. Their blades clashed repeatedly, the youth seeming to calculate every move that Luke was making, the redhead unable to land a single blow. Quickly he grew frustrated, fearful of his inevitable defeat. In seconds he was kicked away.

"Good. Adaptation, improvisation…Van taught you well. You still have a long way to go, but I'm impressed thus far."

Luke got back to his feet, grabbed his blade with both hands, let loose an angered roar of defiance and brought his weapon down. The youth blocked with his blade…only to have it shatter in his hand.

Everything seemed to slow down. Luke's triumphant look slowly shifting to one of horror as the seconds passed, his blade falling straight down towards the youth's head.

And then Luke saw him smile.

What happened next, nobody fully understood. In a moment, the youth seemed to become a blur, and suddenly Luke found his momentum reversing as his legs were swept out from beneath him. A moment later, he felt an intense pain in his chest as the youth slammed a foot into his ribcage, launching the redhead towards the group.

Half a second after that, he felt himself spinning as an unusual pressure formed behind his legs, as the youth used one of his own legs to lock with both of Luke's, and spun him around in the air before ending the lock and slamming his heel down onto Luke's stomach.

"Luke!"

The girls gasped, Guy glared, and Jade stared at the scene calculatingly. Luke groaned and tried to get up, only to stop as another Phantom Sword materialized in the stranger's hand, its tip pointed at Luke's jugular.

The youth sighed, and stepped away. "Not bad. Not bad at all…"

Natalia ran over and began healing Luke, who slowly sat up. In his mind he was cursing his own weakness…now; they'd never make it to Akzeriuth.

**FZZT**

They all looked at the wall, which seemed to turn into static…and then shatter; the glyph fading slowly. A second group of shattering noises drew their attention to Ion, who was now freed, and unharmed, just as promised.

"Wait…what? But I lost!"

"Oh you poor thing. Even after all this time…" The youth sighed. Luke was still on the ground. In a blur, the youth was now standing in front of him…holding out his hand.

Confused, Luke took it, and felt himself be pulled to his feet.

"Luke, Luke, Luke…think my friend, what were my conditions to clearing the wall?"

"For me to duel you. But I lost!"

"Think about what you just said Luke."

The redhead, pride hurt, body still tingling with the remnant fonons of Natalia's healing spell, stared at the stranger, confused.

"Wait…all I had to do was fight you?"

The youth smiled.

"But…that means…"

"Had you bested me, this outcome would be the same, with you able to pass. Take this as a lesson Luke; always pay close attention to the terms of an agreement. Sometimes there's a loophole, other times the terms are vague enough for you to do the barest minimum requirement and still be allowed to claim victory."

Luke stared at the youth. "That's…almost like something that Master Van would say."

"Then he has good methods."

Guy jumped in. "What was that, that you just did?"

The youth smiled.

"Wouldn't you like to know…?"

* * *

"Dammit quit following us!"

"Following you? No no, I just happen to be going in the same direction."

Guy had to repress a snort. The youth, learned name being Zero, had been irritating the hell out of Luke for the past twenty minutes. It was fun to see their chief irritant get a taste of his own medicine…from someone other than Mieu of course.

Unfortunately, it was then that Ion stumbled.

"ugh…"

"Ion!"

Jade picked up on what was going on. "We should rest here."

"No! We don't have time!"

Everyone but Zero glared at Luke. The dark skinned traveler doubled back, seeing as he'd passed the group accidentally. As he stepped past Luke, he whispered in the redhead's ear.

"Relax Luke…your chance to be a hero will come."

Luke paled at that, the youth's knowledge of _exactly _what was on Luke's mind freaking him out. Zero knelt down and picked up Ion onto his back. The young Fon Master blinked rapidly, surprised.

"It's faster this way. Luke gets his desire of hurrying up, and Ion gets to rest."

Luke just stared at the newcomer. _Why…why is he doing all this?_

The youth just smiled at Luke and continued on.

"You know you never did explain that little trick of yours."

"Trick? Oh you mean Shunpo."

"Shoe…what?"

"**Shunpo.** Also known as the Flash Step. It's a technique that allows the user to temporarily move at high speeds. But…its name is apt; it's called Flash **Step **because one can only move in small bursts. The distance covered with each burst varies upon the stamina, skill, and intent of the user."

Jade made his statement. "If that's true, then you could easily reach Akzeriuth before we can. Why don't you?"

"Awe, trying to get rid of me already? It's simple. I've been traveling alone for a while, it's boring now. Besides…" He looked very pointedly at Luke.

"I think it would be a good idea for this one to learn it."

Luke froze for a moment. "Wait…what?"

"Tell me Luke, what happens if you come across someone who knows your style, but is far more skilled at it than you? You lose. And what happens if someone knows a style that was made to COUNTER yours? You lose. But if you know moves from another style, one that works alongside yours, but is just vague enough that nobody can pick up on it, you stand a greater chance of victory."

Luke looked to the ground, impressed.

"Actually the Shunpo isn't the only speed skill I know. In fact there's a maneuver that's potentially better than it."

Luke grew indignant. "Then why don't you teach me that instead?!"

"Peace brother. The **Shukuchi **or, **Reduced Earth **technique, is meant for those with light footsteps. I'm sorry to say Luke; you are not suited for it. Your sword style is too slow, too powerful. Shukuchi is meant for those with fast movements. Both of them have their strengths and weaknesses. For example, Shukuchi's name is quite literal. It's useless if you can't touch the ground, or if you're forced in an environment where you can't obtain a solid foothold…at least for the baser forms of it. The higher forms become a bit more wieldly in less stable grounds, but say your opponent can fly, and is hovering over a lake. You can't reach it with Shukuchi, because the technique relies on rapid legwork. Each step being light enough to propel you forward, but requiring the full weight of your body to be placed onto the ground, with the initial forms forcing your feet much harder onto the ground than normal running."

He adjusted Ion on his back and continued.

"Whereas a master of Shunpo would be able to give chase to the opponent, because they're making quick single steps in an instant. If you kept up your movement with Shunpo, you could practically run on the water, solely because you're moving too fast for the displacement effect of water to take hold."

Luke was confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know why you can't walk on water right?"

"Yeah, it's not capable of holding people."

"Oh it is. It's just that it's not solid enough to hold weight for a prolonged period of time. It would become displaced, and that which is attempting to stay on it, drops. One would have to be almost lighter than air, or a boat in order to stand on water, and even then, boats are only 'on top' of the water because of buoyancy. They can float, but they also sink a little at the same time. A master of Shunpo would be moving fast enough that their weight wouldn't matter, because their steps are so quick that water doesn't have time to displace. Shukuchi would fail because it requires solid ground, because while they're fast, the steps are also very powerful. Shukuchi would basically 'shatter' the water beneath the user, which would then get them stuck because their feet would sink in."

Luke shook his head. "I still don't get it."

"Alright lemme try again. Shunpo is a burst of speed for a moment. Its name, Flash Step is due to you moving large distances with a single step. Think of the comparison of say if a Giant were to take one big step, at the exact same time a child did. The Giant would obviously go farther, in fewer steps than it would take the child, because it has longer legs, and is a generally larger being. Now, if the child was a master of the Flash Step, then a single step from the child, could rival the distance that the Giant covered, even though the child is smaller."

"…I think I get it...but not the water part."

"The thing about Shunpo is that it can be triggered just by touching a surface. Say there's a rockslide. Hundreds of boulders are falling towards your position, and someone or something you hold dear is falling with them. With Shunpo you would be able to bounce from boulder to boulder, just by touching them for a brief moment, to catch that which you desire."

"So…the Flash Step is like teleporting?"

"The speeds you reach are indeed similar, but it still requires contact with a solid surface…even if that surface doesn't _remain _solid."

"…" Luke thought for a moment. "So it's not because you're lighter…it's because you don't stay in one place long enough?"

"Exactly. Since it's a bunch of single 'steps' you don't displace any water until after you're already gone. Whereas with Shukuchi you're basically just running really fast. Even though the first and third stages of Shukuchi resemble Shunpo very well, since the first stage gets you used to making larger, heavier movements."

Ion tapped Zero on the shoulder. The traveler glanced back at the young Fon Master.

"I think I'm fine now."

"Sure thing."

Kneeling again, Zero put Ion back on solid ground.

"Thank you."

Zero just made a simple waving motion and rotated his shoulders, resetting his internal balance.

"I think I get it now…so…how do I learn it?"

"Deo Pass is a bad place to start learning it. Once we get off this mountain range I'll teach you the basics. Don't expect to learn it too quickly though."

"Hah! I'll teach you to underestimate me!"

"Please do. Rarely do I like to be proven wrong, this would be one of those times."

Natalia cut in. "This is all well and good, but I have to ask." The youth turned. "Why aren't we being attacked?"

Zero held out an empty bottle. "Holy Bottle. Used one just after I started trailing you guys. I figured you didn't need the interruptions."

"Ahh…thank you then." He just shrugged and continued.

* * *

"Tear! Step away from that child!"

"Wait…is she talking about me?!"

A blonde haired woman holding a pair of pistols stood on a rock just feet away from the group. She had fired a shot into the ground before Luke's feet, which halted their progress.

_Meddle…or don't…ehh, I need some fun. Let's see if this works._

"Major Regret, why are you here?"

Zero let out a loud snort, catching everyone's attention.

"What might I ask is so funny?"

"Your name is Regret…and your title is Major? Wow, someone was drunk off their ass when they named you."

Outwardly, the blonde woman showed no emotion, inside though, a small tick of irritation was brewing.

"Dumb name aside…I've seen the files on you…I have to say…"

Everyone waited for his next statement.

"You've got a nice can."

Silence.

"…what?"

"What you've never been told that before? I mean damn, look at what you're wearing! Doesn't leave much to the imagination. I guess that shawl looking thing kinda shows what you're into. Didn't know they let that type of person into the army…maybe I should try joining up…"

They all stared slack-jawed at the youth as he unabashedly insulted Regret to her face.

"Tits aren't bad either, I mean, not as big as Tear's massive melons but not a bad size either, though with how high up they are you've GOT to be wearing one seriously god-like bra."

As he continued spewing out seemingly random statements about the God-General, Regret found herself losing control of her emotions for the first time in a _long _while.

"I've heard rumors though; 'Magic Bullet Regret'…sounds like a stage name. Hey, were you ever a stripper at one time? Cause with that body-

She'd had enough…and that's when the group learned a bit more about the youth's skill.

_Gotcha._

Everything slowed down. His eyes picked up on every minute detail as his instincts flared to life, warning him of impending danger. When asked, he would say he could almost see the current running from her brain, down her arm, and to her fingers, the slight twitch of her eye-brow being the only indication of her true feelings, and subsequently, her true intent.

Her arm rose, almost in slow motion, as a second impulse raced down her nervous system, commanding her finger to move, pulling the trigger on her handgun.

But as all that was going on…he was already in motion.

He pushed off the ground, launching himself towards the boulder just next to the one Regret stood on. In mere moments, he was then bounding off that boulder, as the fonon charged pulse of air shot from the tip of her gun to the location he just was. As he took a second Step, a very small amount of electrical fonons gathered to his right hand. Weak sparks raced along his fingertips, as he came to a stop just next to Regret, who had a look of shock on her face, as her mind registered that he had long since vacated where he first stood.

She knew no more however, for just as she was beginning to turn, feeling the rush of air that signified the end of his Step, she felt a light touch on the base of her neck, and fell unconscious as the weak electrical pulse scrambled her nerves, and knocked her out.

"HOLY SHIT!"

"And that, my dear Luke, is an example of how you can utilize perversion as a weapon in battle."

Anise queried. "Wait, you mean, all that stuff you said-

"Complete and total bullshit. While I admit, she has a nice ass, she's nowhere near my type, and if she was, do you really think I'd be dumb enough to outright harass her like that? Hah, no, the trick was to get her to lose her cool enough for her to instinctively shoot at me, so I could knock her out."

Jade grew even more suspicious. "And why would you be doing that?"

"No time to waste right? She's one of the Six G.G.'s. She's no pushover unless you know _exactly _what to do. And such an embarrassing defeat…she's not likely to spread word of that tactic."

"Indeed. Very well…shall we kill her here then?"

"Not…really. If we did that we could trigger an inter-continental war. One we don't need to be causing. If she was acting on orders, then Daath will be held responsible. If she was acting alone, or against orders, then She will be held responsible. Either way, it's best we let her live."

Here he picked her up, bridal style, and hopped off the boulder. He then placed her on the ground, and placed his palm next to her. That same symbol from before appeared beneath her body, and a transparent sky blue field appeared around her body.

"There. That barrier will fade when either another human passes by, or when she wakes up."

"How did you do that? I've never heard of such a spell."

"Let's just say…I did it because I wanted to. Anyway, Luke! Get over here. We've still got a little way to go before we reach the town, and I wanna get you started on the basics…it's gonna be a bit wordy at first, but try to pay attention no matter how boring it gets, it's all really useful, not just for Shunpo, but for other uses as well."

"Alright already…just teach me."

And with that, the group set off again…all but one not knowing what was to come.

_Soon Luke…soon your history will be revealed…and I'll be able to stop fucking around as much…_

* * *

Not my first ToA fic, but this one actually has a workable plot. I've already got a fair bit of it written out, but it wont be updated too often after the chapters I have setup are posted, until I'm at least done with F.E.A.R.

Feedback would be nice, but then again, this is just the introductory chapter. Things will jump around a bit, plenty of timeskips, and plenty of not knowing what's going on. But, as you'll see, there's a chapter dedicated to that. So, have fun reading.


	2. Venting

**Resonance**

**Aftermath**

Trapped for the past few hours locked inside his Original's mind, Luke finally slowly awoke to the sound of irritated mumbling.

"…bloody…difficult…almost…not done…"

"Ugh…my head…"

"Eh?"

"Master, you're awake!"

"Mieu?"

"So, I take it you saw how he works. I do hope you won."

"Zero?"

"Yeah. So, did you?"

"Did I…oh…you mean the fight…yeah…I won…thanks to you actually."

Zero looked up from his cross-legged position on the floor, where he was tinkering with a few small objects, hands aglow.

"Oh?"

"Flash Step…I…we were evenly matched…just like you said we'd be…until he started using the advanced forms."

"I'd have thought it be his castings that did you in."

"He didn't bother…I think…my existence pissed him off enough for him to forget to…"

"Hah…dumbass. But you understand now, why I've been teaching you that."

"Yeah…thanks…"

"Master, Zero's been here the entire time you were unconscious!"

"Oi! Bloody mouse, don't go filling his head with shit."

"I'm…surprised. After what I did…"

"Oi, we've been over that."

* * *

"Wh-why's everyone staring at me?! It's not my fault!"

"Damn right it's not."

Everyone's gaze shot to just above Luke, where Zero perched on top of the Tartarus.

(BGM: No More Heroes - Season of the Samurai)

Angrily, Anise yelled at him. "What the hell do you mean it's **not **his fault?!"

"Keep your mouth shut long enough and maybe you'll learn something." The wandering youth snapped back as he hopped down from his position, landing in-between the group and Luke.

"If there's one thing I can't stand, it's idiots who blind themselves to all other possibility when there's a convenient scapegoat standing in front of them."

That riled Anise, and subsequently, the others, up. "You little-

Ion placed a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Sir Zero…"

He just shook his head. "None of you know what was going on behind the scenes…but I do."

Jade leveled a dark stare at the youth. "Ahh, yes, your claims to know exactly what happens within Luke's life."

And Zero retorted. "And subsequently what happens to you all, when your life paths intersect and run alongside his. I would stay my tongue if I were you Necromancer, unless you want it public knowledge of your youth."

While normally such a line would not phase the man, Jade froze when he understood _exactly _what it was the youth was threatening to do.

"Tell me. A man lashes out, blade in hand. A child is impaled. Who do you blame?"

Natalia responded. "The man holding the sword, obviously!"

"Really? Is it that obvious? Why not blame the sword? The blade itself is the reason why the child was injured. The man just happened to swing his arm in that direction. Or better yet, why not blame the child for being in the path of the sword in the first place? Or do you even know what's going on, that would _cause _said man to lash out at the child? Perhaps he was aiming at a specific point on the child's body, to kill a dangerous creature that had latched on, and it jumped aside just as the man struck out?"

"What the hell are you on about?!" Guy yelled.

"I'm giving you an example of a situation that may not be what it seems. But to explain that would be to get off track, I take it you all agree, the man is at fault?"

Nods…save for Ion. He stayed still, silently playing the words over in his mind.

"Why?"

"Because he is sentient, unlike the blade. He is in control of where the blade goes, and what it does."

"Indeed. A pair of trusted knights are instructed by their king to deliver a package to a village just outside their country's borders. They make their journey, and safely complete the delivery. Minutes after they leave, the package explodes, leveling the entire village. Who is at fault?"

"The king." Jade answered.

"Why? Why not the knights for bringing the package in the first place? Why not blame them for not opening the package, or asking what was inside? Why not bring judgment upon them for not gathering further information on the village, its relations with their kingdom, and why their king would suddenly want a parcel delivered? Or perhaps blame the explosive itself, for being what it was?"

"They're knights. Knights, at least the Loyal ones, wont question what their leader does. They just follow orders."

"Once again, you are all in agreement?"

Nods. Ion refrained again, running this through his head…and realizing what it was Zero was saying.

"I get it."

"Of course _you _do. I expected you to be the first, and I wasn't disappointed."

"Ion? What's he talking about?"

The Fon Master was about to answer when Zero cut in. "A question posed to a student, and answered by another, is not a lesson learned."

Ion looked at Zero for a moment…and then nodded. "Sorry Anise, you have to figure this one out yourself."

"Oh I intend on drilling the answer into their heads."

The entire time, Luke listened with rapt attention. _Again…he's helping me. Why?_

"Why are you helping me?"

Zero sighed and looked back. "To prevent an injustice from being done."

"Injustice?! But it's his-

"**SILENCE!**"

That made everyone jump. "Luke was a **tool!** A tool has no sentience, a tool cannot control its own actions, a tool is wielded by those who seek an event to occur!"

"It's his own fault for trusting Van!"

"You damn right he's gonna trust Van over you people! Van's the only one who treated him like a goddamn equal his **entire**life! From day one he was told who he **should **be, what he **should **remember! Questioned, pitied, treated like a lab-rat and **imprisoned **within his own home! Van was the one who brought him normalcy, Van was the one who brought him an escape from the monotony, **Van **was the one who treated him like an actual **person **instead of a simple **shell **like everyone else did! You think just because you spend a month or so with him, you have right to classify yourself more trustworthy than a man who spent days upon days teaching him how to wield a blade, enthralling him with stories of the outside world, the man who promised him **freedom**?!"

Guy immediately felt some of his anger fade. "I've known him for just as long."

"True, but Van was the one who did the most. Every step of the way, Van was there, coaching, teaching, simply doing things that earned Luke's trust. Other than him, you are the only one who earned his full trust Guy."

"What about us?!"

"What **about **you?! Natalia is a whiny over-bearing idiotic princess who constantly puts down the second person in the entire world that her supposed Fiancé considers a friend, manhandled her way into the group because she wasn't satisfied with sitting on the sidelines by blackmailing Luke into letting her join, and constantly bitched about how different he was, never giving Luke the respect of backing the fuck off and letting shit come to him!

Anise is a loudmouthed brat-slut trying to worm her underage way into peoples pants and lives so she can get rich quick for YULIA only knows what reason, keeping a secret SO big from people that it's tearing up the very **heart **of the one person that _deserves _to know the truth!"

Natalia gasped and stepped back as Anise froze. _He knows?!_

"Jade's a massive douche-pocket who hoards information to himself, bullshitting everyone around him to believe that he says nothing because he is unsure when it's DAMN obvious he fucking knows _something_ about what's going on, fuck you should be blaming HIM for not confronting Luke about his quite apparent ability to summon forth a hyperresonance by himself, OR the other thing that even GUY seems to have figured out."

"And Tear…don't even get me _started _on Tear. You think you _deserve _his trust after the shit you've pulled?! You fucking let him get arrested by those idiots in Engave because you 'thought he could use the lesson!' What kind of HORSE SHIT have you been sleeping in?! Who gave you the right to dictate what Luke needs to learn?! Rather than doing what a **soldier **is supposed to do and ask questions about their new charge to find out their reliability, what they can and cannot do, and how to handle them, you simply let him go through a bunch of bullshit just cause he's a noble. The SECOND he said he didn't know he'd have to pay should have sent fucking **SIRENS **through your head! NOT only that, but as far as he knew you were just some crazy big titted bitch who was trying to kill his teacher, the sole man on the entire planet to give him the respect of a human being!

And AGAIN, you deflect and outright IGNORE any suggestion of Mohs wanting to start a war, claiming all he wants is fulfillment of the score…**WHEN IT SAYS IN THE GODDAMN SCORE THAT THERE **_**IS **_**MEANT TO BE A DAMN WAR YOU FUCKING TWAT!**"

As the youth ranted, a near solid spiral of energy started swirling around him. His anger became palpable.

"I mean my GODS! I'm better off just Wiping the lot of you off the face of the planet and sparing the world your idiocy! How DARE you blame him for trusting a man who's been more like a father to him than his own?! What RIGHT have you to lay judgment upon a person who has a power he didn't even know he could use?! Luke. Was. A. **TOOL! **Van implanted a goddamn trigger in the poor kid's mind to activate his power whenever the bastard wanted! And you know **HOW **he did it?! BY GIVING A SHIT! When Luke's power triggered on the damn ship, you know who it was that saw, and helped reign it in? FUCKING **VAN!** You know who it was that promised Luke freedom from being imprisoned in his home? The one thing that Luke wanted more than anything else, more than his 'lost memories' more than knowledge of what those headaches are about? **VAN! **Luke was given EVERY reason to trust Van over the lot of you!"

It was then that the storm seemed to stop as the youth suddenly was instantly calm.

"And you know the most fucked up thing about you people?" He gave them a sad, pitying look. "You don't even realize that out of all those present, and all those dead…Luke was the one who got off the worst. Hell, he damn near did a favor to those people by being the one used to wipe them out. They were suffering and at the verge of death anyway…and his power gave them a swift, painless end. Perhaps not the preferred end, but their pain is over…they can be with the ones they love. But Luke…"

Zero shook his head.

"Luke was the one used to do it all. A power Luke knew nothing about, ripped out from his body, wielded by a man he would have willingly called 'father'. His mind…his soul, basically raped by the one he trusted the most, as his body moved against his will to summon forth strength he didn't even know he had. You think you're angry? You think you have RIGHT to be angry?! No. The only one with right to be ANYTHING right now is Luke himself."

Zero turned away from the others and placed a hand on a tearing Luke's shoulder.

"Did you know that this, or an event like this, was foretold in the score?"

"What?!" Everyone stared.

"Yep. The closed Score. The one that only Ion, or a Fon Master, can read."

Jade was suspicious. "Then how, pray tell, do you know about it?"

"I know because it my duty to know. It is my purpose."

"Because you know everything about my life…right?"

"Right in one. I can't remember the exact wording, just something about the Light of the Sacred Flame bringing Power to Calamity in a Mining Town…or something. It's really vague. But all in all, Van knew this, and used you, Luke, to prove his thoughts right…come on. We have more important things to do than be around them right now. You're tired, I know, but you've still got a couple more things to do before you can wield Shunpo correctly."

He gently steered Luke past the silent and contemplatory group.

"…excuse me…may I…join you?"

Zero turned to Ion for a moment, then back to Luke. "Your call bro. I'm fine with it…"

"Yeah…it's ok. Just don't do too much alright? You still look tired from doing that thing to open the door."

"Yes…thank you."

* * *

"…yeah…we have. But I still don't get it."

Zero stayed silent for a moment.

"…I'll be honest with you Luke."

He looked out the nearby window. As he began to speak, Tear slowly walked up the stairs, stopping when she heard his voice.

"…technically I'm using you as well."

Luke just stared at him. "…what do you mean?"

"…there is someone…someone in this world. I know who she is…I know her life…her dreams…and her future. She is…to die."

"…do…do I kill her?"

"Not…so much you…but yes, your group confronts her, and the encounter ends with her death…or at least…it's heavily implied she dies…"

"…does she know you?"

"No. I doubt she even senses my existence…but…I'm not supposed to be here Luke. This…this is your story, and I'm not meant to have a part in it…but…I don't like how it played out. It sounds like I'm playing god, but you're meant to go through a bunch of bullshit…and some of it _really _doesn't need to happen, and if it does, it doesn't need to fuck you over as badly as it's supposed to."

"I don't understand."

"Every action we take, be it pre-mandated or our own choice, creates an echo. Each echo bounces off the people and things we interact with, like ripples in a pond. My very presence creates one of these echoes…one that didn't exist originally."

"Well…if she's going to die…why not just take her now?"

"No point in saving her life if the world is going to end anyway…"

"huh?"

"Let's just say, if I did it now…things that need to happen for this world to grow and change, wouldn't."

"Like Akzeriuth…you could have stopped it couldn't you?"

"Yes…in multiple ways. Be it by killing you, killing Van, delaying Van…so many possibilities…but it needed to happen. One so you could finally understand that the headaches you've been getting, and that power of yours are completely intertwined…and also so you could truly understand that Van isn't who you thought he was. I wasn't kidding when I said you were probably doing those sick and dying people a favor when you wiped them out though…the loss of life is regrettable, but…at the same time, you _did _help them…in some backwards way."

"…I guess…"

"Luke…I'm trying to say…we follow the same path right now…but at some point…our paths may diverge, hell they may even intersect one another in a manner that puts on opposing sides…I just…I wanted to let you know…"

"Do you love her?"

"I…I don't know. I wont say yes…I wont say no. I just know…I don't want her to die."

"…well don't worry about it. You've helped me a lot so far, so I'll help you out."

"Help yourself first Luke. As long as I do things right, the event is still far off yet. Trust me, there's a lot that's going to happen that's gonna make your head spin…but…you might just have fun."

"…I don't think they trust me…"

"Well…do you trust _them_?"

"…I don't know…but…you do. Who should I trust?"

"I wouldn't go as far as to tell you who and who not to trust Luke. It wouldn't be right."

"…then who do you suggest I trust?"

"…damn…using my own logic against me…you play dirty Luke…Ion. First and foremost…he is worthy of your trust and respect."

"Why?"

"Shhh…spoilers."

"…huh?"

"Can't say without messing things up."

"Oh. Ok."

"then…there's Guy. He's got his own agenda…much like almost everyone else around you, but one of his top priorities is keeping you safe…and being your friend. He does genuinely care about you, you're like a brother to him…as you no doubt saw."

"Yeah…he said he'd be waiting for me…"

"And then…there's Mieu."

"Me?"

"Him?"

"He stayed by your side even longer than I did. I don't know the physiology of Cheagles but he didn't even leave to go to the bathroom at all…or even eat. I mean hell at least I got up and stretched my legs a bit."

"…I see…"

"To be honest those are the only ones I myself would trust, if I were in your position. The others…they have too much baggage…"

"Even Tear?"

"Tear…if you can shatter that soldier persona of hers, then maybe. I mean…in the end…well…spoilers."

"Damn…I was hoping you'd tell me."

"Well…if she'd stop being an eavesdropping twat I'd be able to give you a proper assessment."

"Huh?"

Tear winced for a moment as a heavy blush grew on her face. She steeled her emotions and finished climbing the stairs.

"Well, it's not my fault you were holding the conversation in the middle of my room."

"Hmph…nice. Just be glad this isn't a sudden frat party or you'd be hunting for your panties in the middle of the city."

Another heavy blush. Zero turned to Luke.

"She's got good battle advice, though I'd take it all with a grain of salt seeing as she's a soldier, and a Caster first. Guy, hell even King of Emo Douchebaggery Sir Asch can give you better fighting advice than her, mostly because they get right up in people's faces. But…she's good at giving sneak attack advice, how to take someone down swiftly, and silently. So pay attention for if you find yourself having to go stealthy."

"Yes master."

"Mas-…ok no, if you're gonna call me anything, it's Sensei, got it? Sen-sei. Master…sounds like a term for a bondage slave to be using, and no offence Luke but I prefer women."

Both Luke and Tear flushed. "W-what the hell man?! Stop talking about stupid crap!"

"There we go, the fun Luke is back. Anyway, I'll leave you two to work some things out for a bit…I gotta get a couple more things before these damn pins'll be done…"

"Pins?"

"I'll explain later, till I get back, don't touch my stuff, it's kinda unstable right now."

* * *

An hour later, he returned to a resolved looking Luke and a slightly off looking Tear…although his reaction…

"NUUUUUUUU!"

The two of them and Mieu looked at him confused.

"Why?! You cut…DAMMIT you looked BADASS with it long!"

Luke flushed slightly. "Wh-what the hell are you talking about?"

"Gah craaaaaap I was hoping to avoid this…" Zero glared heatedly at the redhead. "you WILL grow it back. I don't care how long it takes. You looked AWESOME with long-ass hair, and now you just look like an emofag."

"I-I…what?"

He sighed. "Never mind…"

After encountering Guy on the way back from the Spring, Zero suddenly turned to Luke.

"This is where we part ways."

"What? Why?"

"Jade's gonna show up soon, and he's gonna talk, and I'm gonna be hard pressed _not _to kill him. So I'd rather avoid the situation entirely." He handed Luke a weird leather wristband.

"What's this?"

"I finished up the pins. They're charged with fonons for all seven elements. When you put that thing on, the pins will synch up with your fonic signature, and you'll be able to wield elements like Jade."

"Really?!"

"Hahaha, don't get too happy about it. These only allow for the basest of the base. They're meant to help you understand how each particular fonon feels. They've got a limited amount of uses before you have to let them recharge though. You'll know when they're charging. Just focus on a pin, let the fonons flow through you and poof, there's a spell. Once you get used to the feeling of the fonon you particularly wanna cast, you need to try channeling it without activating the pin. The whole point of this exercise is to get you to be able to cast at least the basest spells of each element without needing the pins. Once you reach that point, it'll be up to you to refine those skills…I mean, you don't want bloody frikkin Emo Pansy Asch to have one up on you do you?"

"Hell no!"

"Exactly. I'll pop back around when you meet up with Anise and the Trap. Remember Luke. Practice hard. I'll be testing you when we meet up again."

"Yes sir Sensei!"

"Good. Now get going."

_Not too long now…just a couple more months…_

* * *

Yes I played a lot of TWEWY before writing this. What of it?

As stated before, things are gonna jump around a bit. There's a specific chapter dedicated to covering (at least somewhat) what happened in the between times. Said chapter has a rather major cliché in it, but hopefully you readers will be able to look past it. Said chapter ALSO has pretty interesting explanations as to how certain spells are cast. This fic is gonna get pretty descriptive and wordy at parts, just to warn you.

If you like mechanic breakdowns for the casting of magics in games, this is perfect for you. If you don't…well, you can always skip the wordy bits, but I advise against it, there's some useful information there, especially as to why not only Zero, but eventually others, will be able to do the things they can do.


	3. Haze

**Resonance**

**Crashing the Gate**

Noelle sighed. The book she was reading just wasn't keeping her interest. It had only been ten or so minutes since the group left for their final task of shutting down the Absorption Gate…and defeating Van. But the strange tingling in the back of her head made it difficult for her to concentrate, as well as increasing her levels of boredom, much faster than normal.

_Ugh, I always get bored whenever they leave. I'm not complaining about my job though…I mean, the pay's incredible, and I get to live my dream. But still…well, I've always been that way. If I'm not doing something I get bored fast…but never __**this **__fast…_

She sighed again, dropping the book out of her hand, lazily. She frowned as she cast her mind around for something to do…but the tingly feeling in her head kept distracting her.

_Stupid headache…I can't think! Ugh…_

She got out of the pilot's seat, strolling around the ship, until she found the small cargo hold. Taken from the Tartarus, it was mainly used to store their spare weapons and armor, as well as a few of her, and Luke's books. But there was also a small mat, rolled out on the floor, mostly used in case someone needed rest after a tough fight, or a nap over a long flight.

She lay down on the mat, as the tingling in her head became a soft buzzing.

…_now that I think of it…it's been a while since I've actually had time to myself…well…long enough time. They wont need the Albiore for anything for a little while…_

Her fingers twitched in anticipation.

_Yeah…I might as well. Maybe it'll get rid of this damn headache…_

* * *

_Oh good they're here already._

Zero had just reached the shore of the island the Absorption Gate was on. The Albiore was 'parked' a safe distance away from the gate proper, but still close enough for a fast pick-up if needed.

_Damn, that girl really knows what she's doing._

He smirked to himself, wondering if he could set things up right.

_After all…she deserves to be happy too, and it's never said what happens to her after it ends…_

He walked up the entrance ramp to the Albiore, intent on finding Noelle and asking her how long she's been there.

_Odd…where is she?_

She wasn't in the cockpit, where she normally is. He noted the book on the ground, dropped. He touched the seat, noting that it was just still very slightly warm.

_She couldn't have been kidnapped…could she? Damn…and I didn't take the time to lock her pattern in my senses!_

Eyes narrowed, he turned around and began his search. The only other place she could be was the cargo hold, but for what reason he didn't know…otherwise…

As he approached, he heard a soft noise. _…I can't tell if that started with a G or an M._

He quietly stepped closer, hearing the noise again, and again. _…I'm leaning towards M._

He opened the door…and blinked. Before him was Noelle, leaning forward, panting, butt in the air and hand down her panties.

_That…was the __**last **__thing I expected to walk in on. And yet, I should have friggin known. Fuck you Clotho._

He watched for a few seconds, wondering if the standard encounter clause would trigger. When nothing happened except for Noelle's increasing pace, he gave a soft sigh.

"Hate to interrupt…"

She froze. Her eyes snapped open and she tilted her head, which was against the ground, slightly. Her wide eyes grew wider as seeing Zero's form solidified the thought that it _wasn't _just her imagination.

Or was it?

She rolled over, slowly removing her hand from its position, before sitting up, staring at him.

"Want me to turn around so you can throw some pants on?"

She just tilted her head.

_O…kay…that's…odd. _His eyes narrowed slightly. _…what is UP with her eyes?_

She made an odd noise in the back of her throat. A haze of lust and…something, had overcome her mind. Her vision was cloudy, all she saw was a male in front of her, standing there like nothing was wrong. Her instincts screamed at her to get decent…but a second set said something different.

_**Have fun.**_

_Wait…I always did wonder what the effects of mass quantities of fonons did to those who weren't always surrounded by them. And you don't get more 'mass' than the two gates themselves. Fuck. Is she broken? She was fine originally…did…I do this?_

Confused, worried…take your pick. He was feeling all of that, and more, hoping that he hadn't just screwed over his chances of succeeding at his goal. The blonde got to her feet, slowly padding over to him.

_Uhh…shit…uhhh…dammit brain think of something!_

Her hands wrapped around his wrists, before pulling his arms around her waist. He blinked rapidly, thoughts stopping for a moment. She grabbed the back of his head and yanked him forward, slamming her lips upon his.

…_my life has just become a __**fucking **__hentai plot. __**Fuck you Clotho.**_

* * *

"y'know it's funny."

Van had just drawn his blade, ready to challenge the group, when everyone turned to see Zero slowly stepping towards them from another direction.

"Who are you?"

Zero continued, ignoring the Commandant's query. "I had this really elaborate plan to deal with you."

Silence met that statement.

"I was gonna start hurling taunts left and right, hoping to rile you up. That would fail, but I'd expected it to. After that proved useless, I was going to start using your sister as a weapon. Y'know, make allusions to how big her breasts are, how sexy she looks and all that. Act like a general perverted douchebag. It was gonna be great. Slowly, you'd be getting more and more irritated, because your biggest weakness is your love for your sister. While you can ignore it and take up arms against her, it goes against your very self to allow someone, especially a complete unknown to start talking about her like that."

He seemed different than usual. And they'd seen many sides of him. Rather than his usual outfit, this time he wore a simple black vest over a sleeveless white shirt bearing his personal crest upon it, colored dark grey. A pair of dark blue jeans, and a pair of black sandals completed the look…but it wasn't his clothes that were different, for the style of the outfit was no different than what he usually wore…it was the fact that he had a sword sheathed to his lower back. It was a smaller blade, about the size of maybe a tanto, or perhaps a wakizashi, but its presence confused the group, who knew him only to wield either his fists, his magic, or his phantom blades.

"Oh it was a grand plan. Funny too. The expressions you'd cycle through would be comical, all while I described the possibilities of you having banged your own sister. And then you'd get pissed, and try to Radiant Dragon me off the face of the planet. From there, many possibilities. Perhaps it'd be a fast charge? Or maybe you'd channel even more Light energy into the blade than usual, to ensure not even an atom remained. But either way it wouldn't matter. The very instant you started to channel energy to your blade, you'd have already lost the fight. I wont bore you with the details of your demise…but needless to say, the plan was nearly flawless."

Riled indeed he was. And confused. He had been aptly minding the youth's words, and came to realize that, should the situation have unfolded like that, everything he said would have come true.

"Then why not stick to it?"

"To be honest? You're a douchebag. A massive stinking bag of fettering douche. But you're a hard worker. You stick to what you believe, and never lose sight of your goal. I can respect that. And in effect, I can respect you. I don't like you, in fact I objectively dislike your very existence, but I respect your work, your determination, and your strength. As such, I've come to realize, though you are a massive bag of douche, to defeat you in such a way would be a great dishonor to the one man who showed poor Luke any normalcy, despite it being fake."

The group, Van included, was surprised at his words. They expected something more arrogant, or perhaps cockily fitting, but this?

"I must say, the bulk of my respect came from the fact you were willing to dedicate so much time to conditioning Luke. Being his ally, his friend, his mentor, and practically the Father he'd always wished. It took time, and dedication. And I highly doubt I would be wrong if I stated a small part of you enjoyed his reactions, how he so readily followed your every word, minding your every commands. I imagine, somewhere in that torn, yet chilled heart of yours, you felt yourself wondering more often than once, if that would be what it was like to have a son. And I doubt I'd be wrong if that feeling further spurned you on, to complete your goals of creating a world not ruled by the score, not just for you, or your sister, not even for the world itself, but for Luke."

Zero would never know how right he was.

"And yet still you stand against me?"

"Your goals…they involve too much needless death. Too many lives ended pointlessly. I may admire your drive, and respect your passion, but your goals, and mine, clash. And that is why, Commandant, I must end you here."

The moment his sentence ended, he vanished. In the blink of an eye, the area that could only be described as a 'hall' resounded with a loud **CRACK**.

Zero had re-formed into view, the hilt of his blade connected to Van's chin, the elder warrior taken completely by surprise by the attack. His head tilted backwards from the force of the strike, his teeth gnashing together, chattering and making a strange vibrating feeling in his skull from the impact. Zero's blade had been slightly unsheathed for the strike, adding an extra few inches of distance to the blow.

In the seconds following his initial strike, Zero quickly re-sheathed his blade, and spun on his right heel, making a small hop. As he did that, Van forced his head, and with it the rest of his leaning body, back towards the boy, only to have his neck and body twisted by the young warrior's foot slamming into his face. A single revolution in the span of half a second, and Van was again spun by an immediate second kick. His body slightly lifting off the ground from the sheer force of the blows, he was helpless prey to one final kick from the back of Zero's right heel, where Zero pushed his weight into the man's chest, launching him backward towards the center of the hall.

As Van's body lifted farther into the air from the final strike, Zero watched him fall to the ground, head first, still reeling from the unexpected pain. In between seconds, Zero had appeared in front of Van's falling form, moving faster than the human eye could track. The world slowed around him as he watched Van drop, before pulling an arm back and thrusting it forward, fist first, into the man's chest.

A loud boom reverberated through the hall, rocking the very air with its force. The boom masked the crunching noises of Van's ribs being broken from the punch, before his body was sent flying once again, at an even faster speed; his form flying over the edge of the semi-transparent platform they were on.

The others' mouths dropped in shock. Even Jade's eyes widened at the display of speed and power, and he'd thought himself used to the youth's sudden prowess of abilities…and then, Jade was forced to quietly gasp.

"I'm not done yet…"

Zero lifted his head slightly, after speaking those words. Words that chilled even Van to the core, even through the haze of a pain he'd never believed possible to inflict upon him. In seconds Zero's blade was flying through the air, launched like a javelin. His movements a blur, they watched as he once again vanished from sight. As the blade pierced flesh, and the force of the through pushed Van to the very walls of the Gate, Zero's form impacted him, pinning his body to the wall in a cloud of dust and scattered fonons.

Zero's knees were bent, his feet planted firmly on the wall as his hands grasped his thrown blade, now embedded in the wall as well, **through **Van's torso. The elder man was pinned upside-down to the boundary of the Gate.

At least…it **was.**

With a mighty roar, Zero pulled his blade _through _the wall, slicing a long gash into it, dragging Van's body with the blade, before pushing with all his might against the barrier and taking his blade out of the wall, but leaving Van still impaled upon it. A long stripe of red surrounded the edges of the gash. Zero threw his weight backwards, flipping himself, and then swung his blade with immense strength. The blade, now coated with Van's life force, slipped out of the Commandant's body with a soft squelch, as the man was sent flying down to the planet's core…

And still he wasn't finished.

The moment Van's body left his blade, Zero drew it to his right side, pointed to the heavens with the sharp edge facing Van, and he slashed it faster than the eye could see. A wave of force was generated by the vacuum of the swing, sending a crescent shaped distortion towards Van's body. He swung again, from right to left this time, and another wave was launched. A third swing, this one perfectly horizontal, sending Zero's body into a twirl. With one final swing, this time vertical, Zero generated enough force to propel himself back onto the platform, where he landed heavily.

The final slash, containing not only force, but a great deal of fonic energy, impacted upon Van's body, creating a minor explosion that certified no return from his destination.

Zero flicked his blade once more, but only hard enough to send the blood that was on it to the ground, before he flipped it around and re-sheathed it in a single motion.

_If it were not to make an unknown future, I'd have been glad to slice you to ribbons, Vandestelca Musto Fende…You will get your wish…but if I'm right, your injuries here will make Luke's fight against you much easier._

He gazed upon the group, who were staring at him in abject surprise.

"When the hell are you gonna teach me **THAT?!**"

Zero gave a humorless smile. "In time Luke. I do believe you have more pressing matters to attend to however."

* * *

It was done. The Outer Lands had been safely lowered into their original places. It still threw Zero for a loop whenever he thought about it. Basically, the entire world of Auldrant, up till that day, was floating high above the planet's crust.

_A literal world in the sky. And if not for Van, nobody would be able to truly notice…_

"So, Captain Emo decided to help out huh? Bout bloody time…"

Everyone looked at Zero, again. Luke was the first to stammer out a sentence.

"Zero…what…"

"Forget it Luke. Don't you guys have something to do? Like, celebrating? Van's gone, the world's safe…I think you guys should be off having fun now."

"What about you? You deserve to celebrate as well! Hell if it weren't for you we wouldn't have-

"You would have. In fact you did. Not as easily mind you…and definitely with more bloodshed…but you made it."

"…right…I forgot."

"Good. Seriously, it's my burden Luke, not yours. Live your life. Just because I know what is meant to be doesn't mean I know what _is._"

Luke tilted his head, confused for a moment, before it clicked. "You know what's to come, but you don't know what's happening now?"

"Exactly. I only glance at the now. At least, for the moment I do. In time I'll start living for the now, rather than the future, but at this time, I live in the future. It's your job to live in the now."

"…alright, Sensei. But I still say you should celebrate with us."

"The world still has problems Luke. Big ones. When someone solves _those _problems, I'll celebrate. Until then, you have fun. You've earned this, all of you have."

They all stood outside the entrance to the Gate, Luke and the others before the Albiore, and Zero standing apart from them.

"How are you going to get back?"

"I have my ways. Don't worry about me."

"Are you sure? I'm sure Noelle wouldn't mind giving you a lift."

The blonde woman took one look at Zero and flushed slightly, their earlier interactions still in mind.

"I'm fine Luke. I thank you for the offer but I have my ways."

Noelle interjected. "Zero…are you really sure? I-it wouldn't be a problem-

"I'm _fine_, Noelle. But thank you."

"Alright…take care Sensei."

"Don't worry, we'll run into each other again soon."

The group entered their airship. The Albiore's engines fired up and the aerial craft took off. Luke looked outside the window, as the Absorption Gate became naught more than a speck in the distance, Luke blinked as he swore he saw a strange multicolored light appear next to it, before streaking across the sky.

_What was that?_

He considered telling the others…but thought better of it.

_It could have just been some weird fonons floating around. Nothing to get all excited about…_

He wouldn't know what it was…until much later.

As the party rested after their tough journey through the Gate, Noelle's body hit Auto-Pilot, as her mind flashed back to her…encounter…with Luke's new teacher.

* * *

Their bodies lay next to another, sweaty, coated in the other's scent. The buzzing in her head faded slightly, then abruptly disappeared, as Zero sat up, fingers twitching, summoning a small glow for a brief moment. She blinked rapidly, the strange haze of pure need dissipating enough for her to regain control of her conscious thoughts, and baser instincts. She realized her position, _their _position, and flushed heavily. As luck would have it, Zero looked back at her just then. He took note of the darker hue her cheeks had, as opposed to just before, and smirked.

"Back to yourself, huh?"

She just stared at him, wide eyed. "Did…did we just-

"Yep. I can tell you, that was _not _what I was planning to have happen."

"I…you…did I-

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. It's like I said, I just didn't expect that."

"Why?! Why did I…" she trailed off.

"…I have a theory." Her head snapped up. He was looking at the far wall.

"Nobody knows the effects of heavy amounts of fonic energy on people who don't encounter it often. It's possible that the sheer levels of fonons swirling around this place caused a sort of blanketing effect on your mind."

"I…did…have a headache…and it _did _feel odd…like…not a normal headache, or even a migraine…"

"Then that just adds to it. You submerged yourself in a base emotion, and the corruptive essence of raw fonons amplified those feelings, until the only thing on your mind was pleasure."

"It…was like a veil…over my eyes…I just…needed…**something**."

"And then I stumbled upon you in the middle of it."

"…and my instincts locked on to the first thing I could get it from…oh god…that means-

"Can't rape the willing. Come on Noelle, do you _really _think that if I didn't want it to happen, or at least wasn't willing to help you diffuse that haze, I'd have let you do it?"

"I…" She remembered what Luke had told her. How quickly he trounced Regret, the techniques he taught Luke, the pins he made by focusing raw intent into physical form. "No…no I don't."

"Exactly. 'Real' or not, it was still fun. I'll admit, I've been a bit…_frustrated _myself lately."

She giggled nervously. Thinking of him as a horny teenager, even though he _was _still a teenager, really didn't fit with her mental image of him.

"So, I took what could have, under other circumstances, been a potentially awkward situation, and made the best of it. Wasn't what I _intended _to have happen but hey, fun's fun right?"

She nodded absently. "It's…not like I can ask anyone of the group to help…I mean, Luke's cute but it's so obvious Tear has a thing for him. Jade is…well…"

"A fuckass?"

She tilted her head, smiling at him. "Not what I'd use to describe him but…I'll go with that. More like, he's too old I guess."

"And a fuckass."

She closed her eyes and sighed. "Yes…and…a fuckass."

He smirked, the standard "I win!" smirk.

"What about Guy?"

"I…well…you know how he is."

_Gotcha._

"You know…it's not really my story to tell but…I know why he's all weird around women."

"…y'know, nobody ever said anything about that...he's been getting…better…I guess but…"

Zero spoke as he dressed, occasional flickers of green popping up around him, before Noelle would find articles of her clothing hovering in front of her. _He's using the third fonon…in its raw form…holy crap._

"Guy…when he was a child…every important woman in his life was slain before his eyes." Noelle gasped in horror.

"They died keeping him safe from an invading force…and when he woke up, he was covered under their dead bodies."

She could say nothing. She just stared, holding her jacket to her chest, wide eyed.

"He subconsciously blocked the event out of his mind, only remembering that everyone was killed, but not how or that he saw them die. From then on, his mind associated the proximity of women, to the bodies he was covered in." He felt her horror resonate through the air. _Must be a side effect…the Planet Storm is enhancing a lot of stuff…_

"That's…"

"Horrible. I know. But he's pushing past it…look, Noelle…" He turned around, locking eyes with her.

"You like him, don't you?"

"I…well…" She looked away.

"I don't blame you. You both share similar interests, he's not bad looking, he keeps in shape with all those fights. Though he's a bit of a pervert, what man isn't? Not to mention he's got a good head on his shoulders. He's got a bit of baggage to him but hey, a relationship gets boring if everything's all sunshine and daisies."

She snorted. "And what about you?"

"Eh?" Now he was confused.

"You're just willing to let this drop?"

"…'this'?...Oh!" He realized what she meant. "As fun as it was, it was probably just a one-time thing. I…" Sensing her indignation about to trigger, he continued, hesitantly, something she picked up on.

"I…I'm not in a relationship…but…there _is…_someone…someone I want to be with. Problem is…she doesn't know I exist."

"…huh?"

"It's…complicated…"

"Luke…said you could see the future…"

Zero smiled slightly. "Not…so much that I could see the future, but that I _know _what's _meant _to happen. I know everything about Luke's life, and everything about the people he surrounds himself with…I have to know…it is my purpose…but…I don't know what happens to you. I mean, you live, as far as I'm aware, but other than that, nothing. And in the end, I want you to be happy, because you've done…you will _continue_ to do a lot for not just them, but the world as well."

She blinked. "R-really?"

"After all, not many people can claim with truth, that they helped ferry around the saviors of the world."

"I…we _save the world_?"

"That's what's meant to happen."

"Wow…but…"

"Listen…Guy would be good for you. I mean, if you think you're up for it. You'll have to help him push past his phobia, which may never fully fade…but…I think you could do it."

"…I _do_…like him…"

"Think about it. Ok? Give it some thought, you've got plenty of time…speaking of time, I forgot why I originally came. I wanted to ask how long it'd been since they left."

"Oh…uhh…well…they'd gone…about ten minutes before the headache started…and five minutes later you showed up…and…it's been about an hour since then…"

"Right…ok…just enough time then."

"Huh?"

"The Absorption Gate is a _huuuuge _place. Plenty of winding paths, twists, turns and assholic warp puzzles. They're going by foot, so it'll take them a couple hours…factor in any random occurrences, on top of monsters that make that place their home…so I've still got time to catch up."

"Wait…catch up? You just said-

"I also know a couple shortcuts they don't."

"…right…the whole knowing the future thing…"

"Yep." He tossed on his jacket, glowing green slightly. Noelle felt the air in the cargo hold change, as a dim green light filled every corner of the room. She blinked, and seconds later, the air _felt _different. It smelled…clean…fresh.

"How…what?" She was confused, and awed.

"Planet Storm. Proximity to it enhances fonic manipulation. All I did was take the air and force it to be purified."

"…I've…_never _heard…" _I've also never spoken to someone who makes me __**fail at finishing my damn sentences!**_

"People…are stupid." His smile faded. "They blind themselves…bind themselves to pre-determined paths…even people like Jade and Tear…they're foolish. Adhering only to that which has been established…"

He turned away, opening the door. "I…spent eight years…training for this sequence. Learning…reading…listening…watching… Eight…long years. And in those eight years…I _broke _all the rules. I ignored all the suggestions. I defied all logic. This is _power _Noelle, plain and simple. And **Power **knows no boundaries, so why should I?"

She stared again, heart pounding in her chest. She licked her lips and swallowed.

"Dude…you're like…really making my head feel funny here. Like…holy crap man…"

He blinked, mood shifting. "Ahh…sorry about that. I tend to have that effect on women…uhh…when I start talking about the deeper stuff I'm interested in."

"Yeah no crap…you sure you weren't doing anything funny with the Seventh Fonon there?"

"Uhh…if I was I'm not aware of it."

She buttoned her jacket. "You should probably look into that."

"Yeah…ok, I'm gonna head ou-mmm!"

She stepped to him and kissed him once more. After a few seconds, she pulled away. "That…was from _me._ Possibility or not, you've got no idea how good it feels for someone to tell me that just by pursuing my 'foolish childhood dreams', I'm making a **difference **in the world."

He gave her a soft smile. "You're welcome Noelle." He thought for a second. "Hey…if you ever get into a bind…just keep this thought going through your head. 'Break through the limits and kick reason to the curb.'"

She giggled. "Basically: Screw Logic?"

"Exactly."

"I'll keep that in mind then…" She hugged him. "Thank you, for everything. Advice…and…other things."

He pat her back. "Like I said, you're welcome. Now I gotta jet, gotta catch up with them…they're gonna want some help against Van, he's a friggin powerhouse."

She nodded and let him go. As he turned, a thought ran through her mind. "Hey."

He looked back.

"I uhh…I don't…know if this…Guy…thing will work out. Like, I'm gonna try, because I like him. But…I think I like you too. I mean, I liked what I was hearing about you from Luke…and I _definitely _liked a few minutes ago…" here, Zero smirked.

"So…if it doesn't work out for me…and it doesn't work out for you…I'd…like to…go out with you."

"Straightforward, I like that. Alright…I wont promise anything, because I really _really _care about this girl…but…I'm not an idiot. It's possible even when the thing goes down, she'll reject me, or she will want to just stay friends…so, I'll say this: If it doesn't work for either of us, I'm more than willing to give _us _a shot. Cause I like you too. Always did think you were cute…"

She flushed.

"Plus, you're into some of the stuff I am…after all…we both love to fly…" He muttered. She tilted her head in confusion, part of her wondering if she was supposed to hear that part, but she logged it in mind anyway.

"Actually…" He pondered. "Hmm…I'm running out of time…but…what would you say if I said I could possibly give you another link…both to Guy and Myself?"

"What…kind of link?"

"Right now, you classify as the "Damsel in distress"." She frowned. "Yeah, I know, shitty. But…you've got a pretty solid mind, and your reflexes are top notch…with a bit of training…well, you wont be killing monsters on reflex like Guy or Jade, or even Brat-Slut, but you'd be able to hold your own against a random douche trying to use you as bait. And if it's a stronger douche, you'd be able to at least make enough of a commotion to maybe escape properly…"

"I'll take it."

He looked at her. "It'd be tough." She shook her head. "Don't care. You have a point, and I hate the thought of being useless…being rescued is ok…but…"

"I know what you mean. Alright, again, I can't promise anything, but I'll see what I can do. By the way…before I go…"

She tilted her head.

"What's your full name?"

"Eh? Oh…Vermillion. Noelle Vermillion."

He froze, and stared.

"…oh you have _got _to be **shitting **me." _I could have sworn it was something else…oh God DAMMIT Clotho!_

* * *

She shook her head, as the Albiore reached the first drop-off point. She'd have plenty of time to think about all that later…especially that last bit.

_The hell was that about anyway? Man he's weird…cute…but definitely weird._

* * *

Noelle never really got too much character development. I mean, she was a non-combatant so I'm not too surprised, but without her, and her determination, they wouldn't have been able to do the things they did, especially since her brother was piloting for Asch. That said, I like Noelle. From what little of her personality we get to see, she seems like a fun, intelligent woman.

I'm actually surprised Dist didn't think of kidnapping Noelle, he just took the flightstone. She's an integral part of the party, even if she never fights. Of course, this made it easy to mix things up a bit for this one. After all, that little side-bit to get Guy's flight costume, shows that either Noelle is really looking for someone to settle with, or she's got a major thing for Guy. Either way, she's open market for a good relationship, and no matter how proper a person is, lust is one of those emotions that both creeps up on you out of nowhere, and slams you in the face with its obviousness.

Of course, Zero's the type of person who just does what he feels like, and as such, ends up stumbling onto these types of situations.

Van's still alive, as per Plot dictations, but he'll return a _lot _weaker than in canon. And before anyone bitches about him being taken out like a punk, remember: Zero does the impossible, and in a couple chapters, you'll understand how and why. Gameplay mechanics keep Swallow Dance/Fury from being godly awesome, but with the speed Luke moves at for those moves, logic dictates that _anything _would be knocked around. Triple that speed and you get what Zero was doing. Plus, Van was already confused by multiple varying emotions and thoughts cycling through his head. Resolved he was, during the _real _fight, but with Zero's special brand of word weaving, even Van's mind was thrown into a jumbled mess for the briefest of moments. And in battle, all you need is a moment, to win.


	4. Battle

"You and your friends versus me and mine."

Arietta was before the group, the gauntlet had been thrown. Words were not going to sway her.

Luke nodded reluctantly, drawing his blade. "I'm sorry…that it had to come to this."

The two animals flanking Arietta stood at the ready. Guy, Jade, Anise, Tear and Natalia all prepared.

They would get no chance for either side to strike however…

"**HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!"**

"Wh-what?" Arietta blinked in confusion, the voice rang through the hollowed out tree. Luke took a step back as a series of glowing black broadswords materialized in between the two parties.

_I know these weapons._

"Zero?!"

A figure dropped from the ceiling. The swords vanished in particles of darkness.

"This battle…it needs not take place."

"Who are you?!"

"I am…a friend. Someone who seeks, and delivers the Truth."

_What are you doing Zero?_

"Hey! If Gloomietta-

He whirled around, flinging out a hand. The world seemed to distort colors for a moment, before Anise was lifted off her feet and slammed into a nearby wall at high speeds.

"**Do not **insult her."

Eyes widened all around. They knew he didn't like Anise but to suddenly attack her? It was Luke who stopped them.

"Why are you here Zero?"

"To keep something from happening."

_Why…do I have the feeling…_

"Arietta…why do you fight?"

"…she killed Ion. She took him away from me and she killed him!"

Zero sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry Arietta…but that's…impossible."

"What?!" Her hackles raised, the instinct to just charge this new being in indignation began to rise within.

"How…can one kill that which is already dead?"

Everyone froze. Largo's eyes widened. _Who is this guy, and how the __**hell **__does he know?!_

"Wh-what?"

"The Ion you've been chasing. The Ion you believe Anise to have stolen from you…the Ion you've been wanting so badly to return to…he, was a Fake."

"BULLCRAP!" She yelled at him. Thoughts that she'd entertained for a few moments before violently banishing began to re-surface in her mind. A low, hesitant growl from next to her brought her head to the side, listening to her brother.

"What do you mean 'he smelled kinda funny?!"

_Huh, didn't think __**they **__picked up on it…_

"Of **course **he didn't have my scent on him! That…that…wait…"

_Now's my chance!_ "Arietta…if he was the one you remember, why is it he didn't have the **scars**?"

Her head snapped to Zero, implications being completely clear to her.

"What…?"

"WAIT A MINUTE!" Anise yelled. Attention became hers. "That's why…you made such a big deal out of that?! You **knew?!**"

"Of course. I told you, I know everything about your lives. Even the things you keep hidden from each other."

"Anise…what is he talking about?"

Anise looked away, not wanting to speak any further.

"Answer me Anise!"

"She won't, because she is a coward." Arietta turned back to the stranger. "However, I have no such weakness. The Ion you believe Anise took from you was a **replica**, much like Luke here."

"Y-you're lying!"

"Even so." He sought to give her at least _some _positive notions. "He died on his own terms. The Ion replica had low constitution…but he was the only one who could properly perform in a very similar manner to the Original. He was always getting one step closer to death, and your God-General allies did nothing to help, what with all the Seals they had him break."

Largo tensed slightly. While he could easily overpower the girl, this newcomer seemed to have intentions for her that he could not discern. Not only that, but a hysteric Arietta was a very **dangerous **Arietta.

He still had a burn on his hand when she lashed out with a Blaze Emitter on someone he was fighting years ago...

"They…You mean…"

"Anise may have lead Ion to the place of his death, but it was Ion that chose how to die. He held off on the good parts of the Score, waiting until Luke and his friends had arrived, before parting words with the intent to fill Luke with hope, and understanding. I…"

He looked away. "I…may have been able to prevent this…his death, I mean."

Luke blinked. "The pins?"

Zero turned to Luke and nodded. "Yes…the set of pins I gave him…one of them was forged specifically with his Signature in mind, to be used as a recovery battery, in case he found himself in danger and needed to unleash a fair amount of power to get out of it. It was designed to leech a very _very _miniscule amount of energy from him over a long period of time, energy that his natural reserves would replenish before any negative effects would occur. The pin would then act as a recharge, filling him with his own energy, to replace anything immediately lost. A few days…before it happened…I went to see him."

He looked Arietta straight in the eye. "When I warned him of a betrayal, he told me he knew. He said he couldn't willingly keep the charade up any longer. Ahh…the tricky little bastard…you know what he told me when I warned him of the problems that would be caused by his death?"

* * *

"_I know…and I'm sorry…but…isn't that why you're here? To fix those problems anyway? If it's you, I know everything will be fine."_

"_Oh yeah, put __**me **__on the spot. Geez, I think you inherited more of your Original's personality than you realize."_

"_Oh I know. They told me he and Arietta would play practical jokes on some of the other God-Generals. It…makes me sad that she won't know the truth."_

"_Mn. You could tell her yourself."_

"_And then die on her? That wouldn't be fair."_

"_Spoken like a true leader. Hmph…I assume you want me to hang on to those pins then."_

"_Oh! Yes. I nearly forgot. Thank you, Sir Zero. These have been greatly helpful. It made keeping up the mask…a little bit easier."_

"_I figured as much. I guess I'll head out now. Never know when the little turd-bitch will show up."_

"_Zero…live free."_

"…_Die well, my friend."_

* * *

"He knew…he was going to die?"

"That's what I mean. The Ion replica you knew, chose his ending. And he chose well. He gave his life to bring hope to the Sacred Flame, and to purify the last descendant of Yulia of her internal poison. He died with dignity, and grace, and ended up screwing over Mohs in the process. He chose to let his life end, so that others may continue. I can tell you now, with certainty, Arietta, his biggest regret was that he could not tell you the truth, himself."

Largo waited. This was it. She'd learned now. It was time for their fears to come to play.

Arietta stared at the ground for a little bit. The moments passing in silent tension. Gears were turning in Luke's head, as he puzzled why Zero would spend so much time gathering this information, to give to her. There was a possibility…a very strong one…but Luke wanted to wait just a bit longer, to see.

She rose her head. "Thank you…stranger. It all makes sense now."

Largo blinked. She wasn't hysteric. She wasn't going nuts…and she definitely wasn't killing herself. _What the hell? Were we wrong about her?_

"By the way, Largo."

He stiffened.

"The truth…as it is, is a timeless existence. Its existence usually causes pain to the unknowing…however…"

He gave the grizzly man a triumphant smirk. "The delivery, is what is most important. To tell the truth bluntly, can get your point across, but can also lead to…unpleasant…endings. To weave the truth carefully, supporting it with both positive and negativity…no matter how heavy the truth is, to do so in such a manner greatly lessens the pain."

Largo nodded. Wise words.

"Arietta, your God-General allies kept this truth from you, in fear that your emotions would go chaotic, and cause you to relieve yourself of life. Whether they feared your loss because of you as a person, or because of your power, only they can answer."

She swallowed, and nodded. "…Stranger…how did…He die?"

"That…I'm not too clear on. As far as I'm aware, Van and Mohs knew of his impending end, and acted to make a suitable illusion. From what I gather, he died peacefully."

"I see. Thank you."

"Then have your reasons-

"No. I will still fight."

Zero tilted his head in confusion. _Oh DAMMIT what did I miss?_

"They killed Mommy. Even if they didn't kill Ion, they still took someone special from me!"

_Oh right…crap I cant believe I forgot about that…_

"I see. Let it be known that Luke spent a fair amount of time trying to convince your mother, through words, of a different course, along with his own allies. Also add that Luke was not only extremely reluctant to raise arms against your mother, but to also do so while she was with unborn child. While I shant further refute your reasons to fight, let it be known that the perpetrators you should be fully displeased with are Tear, Jade for delivering the final blow and if you want to get even further down the line, to the core root as to _why _your mother was in this location to begin with, the Cheagle Meiu."

Arietta tilted her head now. "Why would I blame a Cheagle?"

"It was Meiu, experimenting with his flame breath abilities that accidentally burned down the forest where your mother and brethren called home. Because of him, they moved here, into the Cheagle's forest, demanding compensation for his foolishness. When Luke and Tear arrived in the nearby town of Engave, Luke was accused of theft, due to a lack in education, and Tear allowed things to take place. Rather than refuting the villagers, explaining that at the time, Luke's imprisonment in his mansion left him unknowing about the workings of the outside world, things that we would consider common knowledge, she simply left events to play out, which then filled Luke with righteous indignation, spurning him to go seek out why the Cheagles, whom at this point had been deemed the culprits by Ion, had been stealing their food."

Tear paled as she realized, Zero still didn't like her…not only that…but it was true. Had she not let her emotions get the better of her, and made the assumption that letting Luke get arrested for something that honestly, in a good way wasn't his fault, was a good idea, it's possible they may not have been the ones to slay the Liger queen, or rather, their timing may have been better…

"I see…you're still trying to tell me not to fight?"

"Nay, rather I'm simply informing you of the best targets to strike at. While Luke had a hand in ending your Mother, it was with great reluctance he even began to fight. Further due to the eggs she was protecting. It was he, who noted that if they fought here, the eggs would be in danger, and it was he, who was the **only **one to profess sadness of any sort, that the eggs, and your mother, were slain."

"I understand. I can't say he's forgiven now, but perhaps…"

"Thank you, Arietta."

"I will still fight."

"…I understand." _I had a feeling it'd come to this._

He began slowly walking forward. Immediately Arietta and her two monster allies tensed. He vanished. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"If you will permit me…"

He appeared next to her, much closer than either of her other allies had wanted, but they backed down, sensing something _powerful _within him.

"I would choose to do battle by your side."

"WHAT?!" Everyone yelled. Though Anise's voice was the loudest.

It finally hit Luke.

"_At some point…our paths may diverge, hell they may even intersect one another in a manner that puts on opposing sides…I just…I wanted to let you know…"_

"I understand."

Everyone turned to Luke.

"She's the one, isn't she?" These words sparked a memory within Tear, who gasped.

"You remember…then."

"I'm…surprised. And yet at the same time, I'm not. It explains a lot. Why you went so far to help Ion whenever you did, why you dislike Anise so much. You've been living your life, directing things, covering your own tracks to make sure they didn't change much, to get to this point."

"You've learned well, Luke."

"Thank you, Sensei. I **trusted **you. And I will continue to do so."

"Luke, what the hell is going on here?! What do you know that we don't?" Guy yelled.

"I find myself asking that question as well." Jade agreed.

"It's his **purpose**. To keep her, from dying." Arietta gasped.

"Wh-what?"

"This battle…is to end in your death, Arietta." She stepped back from Zero, who hadn't turned.

"But that is why I am here."

"I get why he spoke with you for so long now. He wanted to convince you not to fight, so you wouldn't be at risk. But you chose to fight anyway, and he respects that choice. So now, to ensure your survival, he fights with you."

"TRAITOR!"

"Silence yourself child. **You **are the traitor. I told you, time and again, the only one I have allied myself with is **Luke.** Not any of the rest of you. Just **him**. That you decided not to heed my words is your own failing, not mine."

"Luke…can't you stop him?"

"Not even if I wanted to. Everything I know about fonons, I learned from him. Everything I can do now, he can do, so much better. Besides…I told you, I'd help you."

"Yes…"

"I'm not fighting you."

"**WHAT?!"**

"To do so would be to break my own promise."

"You realize…they won't stand a chance, right?"

"Hah, we didn't stand a chance against you from the beginning. You know our strengths and weaknesses, you could take all of us down without a sweat. No…I will honor my promise, as I expect you to honor yours."

"Yeah, I definitely taught you well."

"You'll do it then?"

"I didn't plan on **anyone **dying today. Nobody said this had to be a duel to the **death**, right?"

He looked at Arietta. She hesitantly nodded, realizing he was right, somehow, he knew she didn't specify that it was a duel to the end.

"We just wipe the floor with you, and be done with it."

"Why are you doing-

"Luke."

He knew that tone. That was when you listened. "Yeah?"

"Remember how I said there was one of your group, who's very **concept **I can't stand?"

Luke realized who he was talking about. **Natalia**. He _hates _Natalia.

"If that one raises arms against me, she loses hers."

"I understand." He grabbed Natalia's shoulder and pulled her away. "Luke! What are you-

"Dammit Natalia, shut UP!" She froze as if slapped. "Zero **hates **your very existence, and only puts up with it because _I _asked him to! If you fight him in this duel he **will **kill you, no questions asked!"

"B-but I didn't-

"Not to him personally, but even I can say your Personality leaves a lot to be desired. He doesn't like you, in fact actively _despises _you. **Do not test this**. Remember who we're talking about here. This is the guy who **obliterated **Van without breaking a sweat, or even resorting to the way he beat Regret! He even **TOLD **Van what his original plan was! And that was a man he **respected**! How do you think _you _would fair against him when he **hates **you?!"

Arietta took a step back. _He's the one who killed Van? _She didn't know how to feel about that. On the one hand, Van was the one who gave her purpose, alongside Ion. On the other, he kept the truth from her…her mind was very jumbled, the strange person next to her brought more problems and revelations than she wanted to be dealing with. But she couldn't back down, you didn't issue a challenge like she did, then request a rain-check.

"Four versus Four. That sounds about even, correct?" Zero looked at Largo.

"Why are you asking me, kid?"

"You're her mediator, aren't you? A third party set to watch over the proceedings of the duel and its regulations. It is your job to make sure the rules are properly set and followed, is it not?"

_This kid's good. whoever he is, he's __**damn **__good._ "Yeah. That sounds about right. It's evened up nicely."

"Exactly. The duel will be until one side is defeated, death is not to be brought, however incapacitation is perfectly allowed. Otherwise, everything goes. Sound good Arietta?"

"Y-yes." She was still shaken from the revelations, but she pushed that aside, burrowing herself in her remaining hatred.

"Luke, does your side agree to these terms?"

"They're fine Zee."

"Very well. The rules are set. Begin when ready."

"Arietta…" Zero began. He stared straight at her, back turned to the others.

She looked at him, before suddenly feeling an unusual pressure wash over her. The others flinched as they felt a heavy amount of fonons begin discharging from Zero's body.

"I am your sword." He held out his right hand, glowing black.

"I am your shield." His left, glowing white.

"My power is yours to command." He crossed his hands in front of him, a silver glow emerging from the combined energies.

_While I could easily disable them, this is her battle. I must protect her, while still being on the offensive enough to provide adequate support. Level two should handle this nicely._

His body lit up with energy, as a spiral of dust kicked up around him. The light seemed to focus itself on his back, where it flickered before lengthening into four long strands. The silver strands wiggled, like tendrils, before the light vanished in a burst of bright fonons revealing-

"…Are those WINGS?!"

* * *

(BGM: Jun Ishikawa - 02)

Eyes widened all around. Zero's body was alight with a slight grey glow, coming from the four fluttering bright silver appendages resembling wings on his back. Each 'flap' sent small feather shaped particles of energy to the ground.

Arietta's mind snapped into place.

"You were…you were the one that saved us!"

"Oh…you saw me then…"

"Wait she was telling the truth?!"

Zero said nothing, turning to his former allies, allowing the new power to take its course, his body hovering ever so slightly off the ground.

"Your command?"

"Do whatever you need to."

"Very well."

Zero immediately sprung into action. He vanished in a blink of light, appearing at the center of the opposing group.

"Scatter."

He spun around, swinging his arm out. A ring of light appeared around him for a moment creating a wave of force that knocked them all away.

"Barrier!"

A weak protective field appeared around the Hraesvelgr. It flapped its mighty wings and took off towards the recovering group. Jade quickly whirled around to stab at Zero, who leaned to the side, retaliating by holding his palm out and simulating Luke's Raging Blast arte. A pulse of fonons slammed into the elder's chest, once again knocking him down.

He sensed a buildup of light energy, and blinked over to Anise, holding his hand out. A wave of light shot from his palm, forcing Anise to abandon the spell or take it to the face. She rolled off Tokunaga, directing it to punch him, but he simply blinked away.

Arietta was charging a spell. The glyph beneath her had completed, and the fonons were gathered. She prepared to cast it, when she sensed someone in front of her. She opened her eyes, holding the fonons in place, gasping when she realized Guy was in range for an attack. There was a flicker of light, and a loud clang as Zero materialized in Guy's path, blocking his strike with a glowing blue broadsword. Arietta's eyes narrowed and she unleashed the gathered fonons.

"Negative Gate!"

A massive well of darkness erupted around Guy, who suddenly felt no resistance against his blade, as Zero had blinked away from the now spiralling mass of dark energy. Guy yelled out as his body was assaulted by raging darkness.

Zero's ears perked.

"**Va rei ze tue neu tue riou tue croa…**" Energy gathered around Tear's body, as she incanted the third Fonic Hymn. The power of the spell called Holy Song washed over her group, healing their wounds, and increasing their strength.

Arietta's eyes narrowed, that would prove a very annoying thing…until Zero blinked to her side.

"Two can play at that game…do your brethren understand human language?"

"Yes."

"Mind calling them back real quick?"

She whistled, the two animals racing to her side.

"Names?"

"The Liger is Leon, the Hraesvelgr is Ariel."

"Leon, left flank, charge from just behind Jade. Guy will likely move to block you. While that happens, Ariel, I need you to shoot past Tear and Anise."

The two animals looked at Arietta. "You can trust him."

They bobbed their heads and took off. Zero noticed Jade casting a spell. Determining from the stance, it was going to be a Wind spell.

"Thunder Blade!"

An electrically charged sword of pure lightning shot towards Arietta and Zero. However, Zero was already prepaired. He swung his hands through the dirt, gathering fonons together, coating his hands in a golden brown glow, before **catching **sword of energy, causing Jade to stare in abject shock. _I swear, I'm the ONLY one who ever gets any form of rise out of him other than irritation or sarcasm._

He threw the blade to the side, where it detonated harmlessly.

"Y-you can't…that's impossible!"

He smiled at Arietta, after noting that like he thought, Guy was blocking the Liger, and Anise and Tear were forced to halt their spells to evade the bird.

"Well then…" He began glowing. The feather shaped energy particles coming from his wings began spiralling around him as the glyph of Chaos formed beneath his feet.

"I shouldn't be able to do _this _either…"

Completing his 'tapestry' of woven fonons, he collapsed the glyph, activating the spell.

Much like with Tear, a massive glyph appeared beneath his feet again. Once again Chaos materialized beneath him, as a wave of energy washed over both groups. The side Zero was allied with, gained similar protective energies grafted to their bodies…while the side against him were covered in energy that performed similarly to painting a target on them. Seconds after the wave of energy washed over both groups, massive beams of light rained down upon Zero's foes, surprising them. The surprise increased the amount of damage they took, as the searing beams engulfed them repeatedly, forming heavy welts and bruises as the beams acted like neigh solid, blunt objects.

Natalia gasped. Luke stared. "Holy crap…"

"Holy Judgment, is what it's called." He smiled at Arietta, who couldn't help but offer a small smile back. She herself began incanting a spell, completing it in seconds, due to one of the effects of the slowly diminishing protective field.

Zero blinked over and kicked Guy in the back of his left leg, forcing the blonde man to buckle before a knee crashed into his nose, cleanly breaking it, but not killing him due to the protections offered by Tear's Holy Song. A wave of Zero's hand, and a spear of ice slammed into Jade's hand, breaking his concentration, causing him to abandon the spell he was about to cast. Leon opened its mouth, electricity arcing from its fangs, but Tear had dived to the side…into a hail of icicles rained down by Ariel.

Anise had quickly launched a Limited spell, only for Arietta to deftly step to the side, as she finished her incantation for Bloody Howling. A rip in dimensions opened up beneath the younger Fon Master Guardian, the howling wails of tortured souls becoming semi-tangible waves of dark energy, rippling through the younger girl's body. After the spell ended, Anise suddenly once again found herself knocked off of Tokunaga, as Zero followed up with an earthen charged fist.

"Kurae! **Kouryuu Reppa!"** Immediately as he slammed his fist into Anise's chin, a hail of boulders slammed into her body as the two rose into the air. Zero quickly gathered another series of fonons, surprising everyone with his ability to suddenly chain two completely differing fonic ability fusions.

His wings turned to flame, before the flames surrounded his body. He twisted in the air, turning the motion into a continuous spin.

"**Kuuha Bakuendan!"**

The raging flames surrounding him seared into Anise's flesh, the smaller girl screaming in pain as her body was assaulted not only by fire, but by fist and foot and raging wind as well. The flames dissipated as Zero blinked away, cancelling the attack, letting Anise take the hit from Jade's Energy Blast.

Luke just watched, his grip on Natalia weakening with his rising shock. "He's…damn…he's too good…"

"**Croa riou croa neu tue rei croa riou ze rei va…"**

As soon as Zero reappeared, a circle of holy energy surrounded him. He casually glanced at it, as Tear's body unleashed a heavy amount of Light fonons. The circle began radiating inward, building just beneath Zero's feet. He blinked, and the circle fired a beam of light into the sky, which turned into a giant cross for a few seconds, before exploding in a small wave of energy.

Arietta gasped, that was a powerful attack, one that even she wasn't sure she would be able to survive head on…

Then the light and dust cleared…and Zero was entirely unharmed, a glowing sphere of light comprised of multiple hexagons surrounding his body.

_Damn, that was pretty close. I actually had to focus for a moment to block that one. It would have cut right through if I didn't. She's getting strong._

Outwardly however, he simply smirked at Tear, before blurring over to her side, knocking the wind out of her with a solid punch to her stomach, before following up with one of Luke's personal artes. He slammed a foot into her chest, noting subconsciously that her impressive bust would definitely soften the blow even if it was ever so slightly. Her body rose as he slammed another foot into her chest, before following up with a kick to her temple, rotating her body, before a foot to her back knocked her higher.

"**Zanma Hienzan!"**

A fiery kick to her stomach followed by a double footed drop kick to her back, knocking her back down to the ground, where she landed painfully. Luke let out a small whistle, noting that while it was slightly different than his own, that was a perfect execution of his Shadow Fury.

_He's too strong. And the others…they're focusing too much on him, while Arietta and her monsters pick away at them while they're open…I can't…I can't let this go on!_ Natalia snuck a look at Luke, who was transfixed by Zero's performance.

_I have to act…quickly, before Luke stops me. One shot, that's all I need. If I do it fast, nobody will notice, Arietta will fall, and this pointless battle will be over._

_Besides…what can that Zero do about it? He cannot harm me…if he did, he'd have an entire kingdom after him!_

She concluded to herself. She would act, as soon as she found an opening…which presented itself moments after her thoughts completed. Zero was busy distracting Anise, while Jade and Guy ran to Tear's aid. As Guy fed her a Lemon Gummy, Jade smacked away the charging Liger with his spear, flicking out an Energy Blast just in front of him, cancelling out a wave of icicles.

She pulled her bow, notched it, and let the arrow fly, aiming dead on for Arietta's head.

Zero suddenly felt a disturbance in the air. Unleashed, his wings flooded the area around him with his own fonons. Coating a certain radius with his own essense, his unlocked wings acted as recievers for any sudden shifts in pressure, be it fonic or otherwise. His wings, perfoming said task, sent commands and pulses into his brain, detailing when, where and how the world was shifting. This technique took him the better part of two years to figure out how to pull off, and master.

It was this, that told him something had changed. He could feel Natalia's movements, the sudden shifting of air telling him that a much larger object had been moved from her back to her hand, that a small object was being moved from a large shape on her back to the other object now in her hand.

His eyes widened as he understood what was happening. He felt himself fading from where he was, causing Jade to stumble as Zero had vanished from where Jade was expecting him to block.

As the arrow flew, Zero was moving. He appeared in front of Arietta, surprising her, just as the arrow reached where she was…

And it struck.

* * *

…_ow. Ok…it seems like…fucking AT Field drops for a second upon re-materialization…good to know._

The radiant glowing Zero pulled the arrow out of his chest like it was nothing. The pressure around the group began to intensify, as he leveled a very heated glare at Natalia.

"You have just violated the terms of this duel."

Luke could do nothing. Even he understood the consequences of her actions. Zero was about to do something _very _unpleasant to her.

"I wanted to-

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOU WANT!" Nobody had seen him that angry. Waves of light were beginning to corroded into wisps of dark energy.

"You have violated the terms of this battle. For that, you shall be punished."

He lifted his arm. Luke could feel it. It was going to happen now…or it would have…if one sound didn't ring through the hollowed tree.

Arietta coughed.

Immediately Zero froze.

She coughed again. Harder this time.

Zero whirled around to see Arietta staring at her hand in abject horror…before she dropped to her hands and knees, coughing violently.

_Wh-what? What's…no, this isn't…this didn't…_ Zero's wings vanished instantly as he dashed to her, just as she fell to her side, clutching her chest. Blood was dribbling down the sides of her mouth, as her body spasmed with every violent cough.

_No! This isn't-…what changed?_

Looking her over, he charged and executed a powerful blast of healing energy.

It did nothing.

All the while, his mind was racing.

_She died…she died at the hands of Anise…but…what if…_

_THE MIASMA! That must be it!_

"No…this…this isn't supposed to happen…"

He flared up and fired off another one. Still nothing.

"Dammit! Not like this…I made a promise dammit I won't let you take her away from me!"

Nobody saw it. But his eyes had changed color. If one were to look through his eyes, to see the world from his body, they'd have seen everything suddenly become covered in black lines. The world had become as if it was made of glass, shattered, and black glue was used to bind it back together.

_This…the power I was given because of the way I came here…the side effect from my method of 'travel'…with this I should…_

"…why…why can't I see it?"

_NO! I should be able to see the 'poison' in her! Where the HELL is it's origin?!_

"…I get it…" The others stared at him as he seemed to simply stare at Arietta. Her body had stopped spasming. Her breaths were coming out in short, pained bursts.

"I understand…it's not that I can't see it…" Largo overcame his shock and stepped forward.

"It's there…but it's so close to her heart…I can't get rid of it like that…if I miss…she'll die anyway…"

He bowed his head.

_Is there nothing I can do?!_

His eyes snapped open.

"That's it."

He summoned a phantom blade and sliced through a line on her top. It cleaved open cleanly, parting just enough for the area between her breasts to be revealed to the air.

"I don't know if clothing gets in the way, but I'm taking no chances…" He looked at her pained face. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she made a whimpering sound. His heart almost shattered at that. But he held fast.

"I promised…"

He placed his hands over her chest, concentrating. Before his palms formed a glyph comprised of a six pointed star, before the glyph faded into the ground beneath her. Largo reached out a hand to his shoulder before the large man was suddenly knocked back by the invisible wave of force that had suddenly ripped through the area.

Zero's hands took upon a familiar glow.

"Is that…Hyperresonance?!" Tear gasped out. Luke nodded. "I know that glow…this feeling…he can do what I do…"

Zero reached out his senses. Every part of his body was focused on Arietta, and finding the Miasma within her. It wasn't hard. It had rooted itself deep within her being, her very blood, her life force was coated in it. Arietta's breaths became sharper, more hurried.

"Please…calm down Arietta. I promise…I'll get rid of it. I swear it on my life. Just please…hold on…just a bit longer…"

_It's not enough…why? Why can't I save her?! What the hell does this world have against her?!_

Is despair only grew more determination. He pulled his hands back and then thrust them forward, throwing more power into his contained resonations. Unknown to him, he'd began drawing so much energy from himself that the illusion he placed, the suggestion around him, dropped. For the first time, they saw how haggard and tired he looked. For the first time, they saw his once black hair, turn stark white, flowing in the wind created by his unleashed power. The wings, that they had just learn he had, were now displayed in full view. They all mentally counted, he had six of them.

"Something's wrong. He should have succeeded by now."

"What are you talking about Luke? Even _I _don't know what he's doing." Jade admonished.

"Isn't it obvious? She has Miasma in her, just like Tear did."

Eyes widened. Luke rolled up the sleeves on the red long-coat Zero bought for him.

"Luke, what are you-

He didn't answer. He simply ran forward, and crashed to his knees on Arietta's other side.

"Zero, tell me what to do. My Resonance is yours."

And for the first time, Luke saw exactly what it was his suspicions were. He could see it in Zero's shimmering silver eyes, he was in love with the girl between them. No words could describe the level of thankfulness Zero was feeling, so all he did was nod.

"I…I can…I'm isolating the Miasma now. She's had it in her body for so long that it circulated too many times, it was grafted to her very blood cells. But I've managed, barely, to draw those particles off. I just…I don't have the ability to excise them."

"What do you need me to do?"

"…I need you to wipe it out. I can show you where the pockets I've created are…and then we need to team up on the pocket in her heart, but…"

"I…don't know how to find them."

"Just listen Luke…I made a theory on Hyperresonance. It's sealed in a file that only I can open. Hyperresonance is nothing more than a very powerful blast of sound, generated at a frequency able to destabilize something to reduce it into its base form."

"Uhh…"

"Imagine standing next to a giant bell. Someone rings that bell. Your body vibrates from the sound waves created by such a large object ringing like that. That's what Hyperresonance is. A powerful blast of sound that can make something vibrate to the point it falls apart."

Luke's eyes widened as he understood. "So that means…"

"All you need to do, is 'listen' for my fonon frequency inside her. Everywhere you feel that frequency, I want you to blast it with your own. I've localized all of the Miasma, so my own frequency can contain the radius of yours, making sure none of it creates a feedback loop to Arietta."

"I can do that. I think. No…I **know** I can do this."

"I know you can as well Luke. Now come on. We don't have much time."

And so it began. Zero would began loosing a small sound wave that Luke would pinpoint and generate his own Hyperresonance to eradicate the Miasma within Arietta. The group watched in astonishment as the two young men glowed with a pale white sheen, a small flicker of multicolored light in between their palms. Every few seconds Zero's aura would pulse, and then Luke's would pulse in tune with it. Jade was feverently committing everything he was seeing here to memory. This, was a major breakthrough in the research of Hyperresonance, and the Seventh Fonon itself.

If one were to be able to see within her body, they would see a great purple cloud of mist being contained in a glowing silver sphere. The sphere would direct it to an open space within her body, forcing it into her stomach, where a powerful ray of red light would encompass the sphere, before both collapsed, vanishing the mist into nothingness.

Both of them noted that Arietta had stopped gasping. Fearing the worst they poured more focus into removing the Miasma from her. Finally they reached the final pocket.

"I can't move this one. If I do I risk killing her. We have to blast it where it is."

"That's…kinda dangerous isn't it?"

"Yes…but it's the only chance we have."

**DRECK! Where are you?!**

"Agh…d-dammit Asch…"

Immediately Zero's eyes narrowed. He lessened the pulse into Arietta a small amount, and radiated the same pulse that Luke was.

"I'm…busy…"

**Busy?! With what?! Where the hell are you anyway?!**

_Asch…do yourself a favor. Shut up._

**Who the hell-**

_SHUT UP! Luke and I are in the middle of a VERY delicate operation right now. And I __**swear **__to you, if we fail because you can't shut your fucking mouth, I will bring Natalia to you and make you __**watch as I rip out her fucking heart and eat it!**__ And THEN, I'm going to bring every last member of your family, and __**systematically crush their bones one by one until all that's left is a flopping sack of meat! **__Are we clear?_

**You wouldn't-**

_**ARE WE FUCKING CLEAR?!**_

It was then that wherever he was, Asch realized that whoever this voice was, speaking through his connection with Luke, he was serious. While it pissed him off to no end that the voice would threaten not only Natalia, but his family like that…he realized he couldn't take the chance that he'd make good on his word. If this voice was unafraid of the Kimlaskan royal family, then he was a force to be reckoned with.

**Crystal.**

_Good. now FUCK OFF!_

During the exchange, the group noticed Zero's aura begin to fluctuate violently. The stream connecting him to Arietta remained solid and unwavering, but everything else around him seemed to flatten. Even Luke had a hard time resisting the sudden oppressive field Zero was emitting.

_Note to self; get him to teach me how to do that._

"Let's finish this."

Luke just nodded. The two focused and with a small pulse, erased the final cloud of Miasma within Arietta's body. Her eyes snapped open as she sucked in a deep breath, her body rocketing upwards as she suddenly sat up. The remaining tears in her eyes shed themselves as she continued gasping in air as if she'd been underwater for the past ten minutes. Zero and Luke quickly cut off the flow of energy into her, the glows fading. Arietta clutched her chest as her heart beat wildly, its functions fully restored with the removal of the final cloud. Her head snapped back and forth, between Luke and Zero. Luke knelt backwards, motioning towards Zero who simply glowed with the charge of a healing spell.

He was taking no chances.

As her body was flooded with the calming beats of the Seventh Fonon, she pulled Zero into a hug, chanting her thanks all the way. He simply wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back, a relieved look on his face. And then, surprising everyone, he raised his right arm. Natalia slammed into the far rocky wall. Arietta turned her head towards the source of the sound.

The silver band around Zero's wrist began glowing. Rays of multi-colored energy gathered around it, solidifying into panels of shimmering light, like stained glass, or crystal. From between the panels grew four objects that resembled fan blades. These objects then began shimmering with light. Not seconds later, multiple rays of arrow-tipped light rocketed from the tips of the blades, each one crashing straight into Natalia, who screamed in agony as if her very body were being ripped apart.

It was then that Luke recalled the flash of light back at Daath, when they were trying to rescue Ion. He remembered how Zero had directed them to flee, that he would handle the replicas trying to stop them. He remembered turning back, and shuddering as hundreds of voices cried out in agony at the same time, as that light flared. The light show ended, and Natalia dropped limply to the ground.

Guy yelled at Zero. "What the hell was that?!"

"Her punishment. Did you think I forgot?"

Guy was pissed…but he could say nothing.

"She violated the terms of the duel, thus was punished. I could have killed her. In fact I should have. But no. She is unworthy of being held in Death's loving embrace. No, I have sentenced her to a fate far worse than Death."

He rose, taking Arietta with him. She wobbled and he wrapped an arm around her, to stabilize her. She gave him a weak smile.

"What did you do to her?!"

"You will find out in time. For now, suffice it to say, she has value to no one any longer."

He looked at the pink haired girl standing in his arms. "Come on Arietta. Let's get you cleaned up."

She just nodded. A brilliant silver glow surrounded them as Zero converted the two of them to energy, encasing them in a protective field. The small orb of light then flew off into the air, merging through rock and bark alike.

_Note to self; get him to teach me that too._

* * *

**A/N: **Again, I reiterate that the jumpyness is meant to be. Here we see some of Zero's battle prowess, along with my take on how spells and attacks would work in a semi-realistic setting. Gamewise, you can't shoot an icicle into someone's hand to interrupt their spell, you don't have that level of precision.

The thing that's always confused me though is if hyperresonance is supposed to have a hyphen between hyper, and resonance. If someone could clarify that for me I'd be grateful.

I have one more chapter pre-written, but I think I'll wait to post that one. There's a couple things that are meant to occur before it happens…so it might be a little while.


	5. Inversion

She groaned and rolled over. That light was irritating. She wanted to sleep more, her body and mind still tired from earlier events. _Stupid sun…go away…_

Of course, the mighty sphere heeded not her desires. The girl gave a small irritated growl, before sitting up with a huff. She rubbed at her eyes, before looking around, confused. She wasn't at Order Headquarters…or her private island…

It was then, that the pink haired girl began to recall the things that happened the day before. _Oh right…that stranger…Zero…saved my life, then brought me here to rest._ She got out of the borrowed bed in the Inn, yawning. She stretched lightly, before gently padding out of the room and to the counter. The innkeeper greeted her with a jovial smile, as she inquired about where her companion was.

With new information in mind, she headed out to Engave proper, after learning Zero had headed for the market area, to gather up some food. She recalled that the market was just at the entrance of town, and headed that direction, shyly waving back at the multitude of people who greeted her.

_How odd…it's like they don't care that I'm part of the Order…and that the entire group has done horrible things lately…maybe they just don't know…_

She found her savior, just as he was completing a transaction. As she approached, he held out his hand to her, apple within. She blinked in confusion, before grabbing it.

"Just a quick snack before we head off. There's something I wanna take care of in the Forest. We can have breakfast proper once we're done."

She blinked at him again. _The forest? What would he want to do there?_

"Like what?"

He gave her a soft smile. "You'll see."

She scrunched up her face, something he would later tell her was extremely cute. _I don't like surprises…_

* * *

The two made their way through familiar paths. The holy bottle Zero had emptied upon them kept away any creatures spoiling for a fight.

"I'm almost always up for a good battle, but I figured you might still be a bit tired."

She nodded. She'd just woken up and already they were moving. She _was _used to situations like that, but at the same time, it didn't mean she liked them. They reached a small gap in the forest path, a raging river between two small cliffs. Zero made an irritated noise.

"Dammit, did those idiots knock down the friggin tree-bridge that was here? I could have _sworn _that was supposed to stay forever…"

She just stared at the water, knowing what he was talking about. _It was here when I came for the duel…_

She was snapped out of her musings by a shimmer of light behind her. She whirled around to see Zero, wings outstretched, with his palms on a nearby tree. Her eyes widened as what appeared to be rings of light surrounding his body, shooting from the ground up, forming at his feet and dissipating just over his head. The pure silver rings were nothing compared to the green glow of his hands, which soon overtook the tree he was touching.

She felt a rumble beneath her feet, and scrambled away from the path's edge, but watched with shock as five gigantic roots ripped out of the ground and crashed into the other side of the river. The glow faded, the rings vanished, and his wings blinked out of existence. She just stared at him.

"Well, now we have a better bridge."

"How…?"

"Just weaved a bit of nature element into the tree, to stimulate its growth exponentially. Then I just directed its roots to where I wanted them to be."

_Nature…what?!_ "There's no nature element…" She said cautiously, as if speaking to a child. All she got back was that irritating smirk of his.

"Yeah…I figured you'd say that. You're wrong, obviously, or we wouldn't be looking at roots across a chasm right now, but I'm not surprised."

She bristled slightly in anger. "What's that supposed to mean?" Yeah, he saved her life, but technically he just called her stupid!

He just gave a small laugh, genuine smile on his face, before surprising her by pulling her into a tight hug.

"I promise, I'll explain better in a bit. I just wanna get this done, ok? Think you can hold out till then?"

She sighed. She couldn't explain it but…she was comfortable in his arms. It felt…right…for some reason. Of course that sparked further irritation, for the girl didn't like puzzles, and this guy was a living one. But she pushed it aside, reveling in the fact that for once, someone was actually holding her, even if it wasn't exactly a time she _wanted _to be held…

_Beggars can't be choosers I guess. __**Someone**__ is doing it…now if only he was around when I really needed it…_

"Fine…but I'm holding you to your word!"

He chuckled again and pulled away. "I hate making promises, cause usually the people aren't worth it. But when I do, I keep them. So don't worry, you'll understand soon enough."

"Ok…but…why?" She gestured at the chasm.

"Well…the way I figured was that I could have just made an earth bridge, but then I thought if I did that, then if say there was a flood or heavy rain or something, the bridge could not only collapse, but the ground around it would too, cause of the water eroding away at the earth. So then I thought of what would be strong enough to hold even through erosion, and I thought trees. So not only would the roots absorb some of the water naturally, there's less chance of the path itself being lost because of erosion, and even if the river reaches up, since the roots are arced in the way they are, there's still a way over."

She stared at him. "And…you thought all that up…in ten seconds?"

"Honestly? I don't know. I…" He looked a bit confused himself. "I tend to know things…before I know them. And then I don't know them until after I've already done something."

"…I don't get it."

"Dammit, I was hoping you would, cause I don't either."

She tilted her head at him.

"Ok…it's like this." He began to explain. "I get…instincts, when I look at certain things, or enter certain situations. Just…traces of impulses, telling me the barest amount of what to do. And I follow them, and stuff happens, yeah? So, I think…what it is, is that I just kinda let the world flow through me. Like…when I need something done, I 'ask' the world, so to speak. And it tells me what can be done naturally, what can be done unnaturally, but is still within its rules of reality, and what can't be done within any form of realistic constraints. So I take those…instincts…and subconsciously pick the best one. Everything else happens, and then the information of what I just did, how, and why, comes after I'm either in the middle of doing it, or after I'm done."

"That…" She started to say, but trailed off.

"It's crazy, I know…"

"I was gonna say it sounds like it takes forever actually."

"Ehh…sometimes? If there's **too many **possibilities it takes longer to process the information…but generally it all tends to happen in an instant." Finally, he began walking. She followed, now **extremely **interested in her companion.

* * *

"Why are we here?" Arietta asked, voice laden with emotion. This was where her mother died. This was where she _almost _died. Her response was to see another flare of light. She looked over, noting Zero's prismatic wings gently fluttering behind him.

His hand was encased in a black glow, as he slowly walked along the edges of the cave. Suddenly he stopped, glow fading as he nodded to himself. He stepped back and spread his arms, hands shimmering yellow. She stared as the ground seemed to ripple before him, as the earth shifted to accommodate his will. A small gravely object formed out of the ground. As Arietta grew closer, she gasped.

It was a small statue of her mother, standing on a small headstone. Tears in her eyes, she made out blurry symbols. She couldn't make out what they were, it definitely wasn't Ispanian at all. She looked at him, silently begging him to tell her what it said. Whether he heard her pleas or not, he spoke softly anyway, eyes closed, almost as if in a trance.

"**Rrha touwaka ra falfa wearequewie morto yorr."**

As he spoke, the glow turned black. She watched as tendrils of darkness wafted off his body, and crashed into the ground just in front of the freshly made grave. The tendrils faded, but soon after, an ethereal paw slowly rose from the ground, followed by another paw, and then a head.

"M-mommy…?"

Both the black glow, and his wings faded. Zero blinked, looking around, almost confused. He saw the ghostly form of the Liger Queen begin to pull herself out of the ground, and stared for a moment.

…_did I really just go into a trance and summon a spirit? I can __**do **__shit like that?! Oh dammit now I gotta Fuckin research more…bloody hell…_

"Uhh…I guess I'll leave you two to talk then…I'll be just outside, k?"

Arietta could only nod, too choked up for words.

* * *

The two were en route to Ferris. She'd spoken with the spirit of the Liger Queen at a decent length, for now daylight, at least for that part of the world, was almost over. Zero was carrying her, bridal style, in his arms, wings fluttering behind him as the two flew to Ferris Isle. Arietta wanted to grab a few things from the mansion there, one of which being a shower.

The two spent a couple days at the moving island, Zero teaching her a few new ways to weave fonons, but generally just doing his own thing. She had requested some time alone, to mull over some things her mother had told her, during their conversation. Zero nodded, citing he'd be on the island if she needed him, and just to fire up a quick ray spell if she wanted to talk. She gently hugged him, whispering her thanks for everything he's done thus far. He simply pat her back, honestly not knowing how to respond.

For once, the nigh unflappable Zero, was uncertain.

It was on the fourth day, that Zero suddenly barged into the mansion from outside, calling her name urgently. She ran down the stairs, having just finished getting dressed in her usual attire (it took all three days to properly wash her blasted uniform) responding to his frantic cry.

"We have to go."

"What? Why?"

"There's trouble. Something's **very **wrong."

"Explain."

"Something bad is happening at the Tower of Rem. Luke was…gonna try to use his life along with pretty much all the replicas in the world, to try to permanently erase the miasma in the way we did for you. I don't know what's going wrong, but I just tried to get a hold of him and all I got was a crapload of static."

"Wait, how would you-

"The thing that Asch did. I can replicate it. I just don't do it often. I felt…the world scream, Ari."

She blinked at his nickname for her, but then his words registered in her mind. "Wait, you _felt the world scream_? That doesn't even make sense!"

"I know! I can't explain it…I just…it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. Something _really _unnatural is happening." _Extremely so…especially since I'm not born of this world, and yet I can feel it so clearly…_

* * *

**Tower of Rem:**

_I…I don't want to die…_

Luke's thoughts resonated through his soul, as the blinding light between his palms seemed to suck in the violent purple mist around them. The rays of power leaking out of the pulsing sphere gently illuminated the replicas surrounding him, Asch struggling against Jade's grip, dissatisfied that his clone was once again doing something he thought _he _should be doing.

His body began to fade, as the previously un-found Jewel of Lorelei began to resonate in tune with his hyperresonance. Asch saw this, and finally grew the strength to break out of Jade's hold, just as something strange happened.

Pins on Luke's right wrist began to glow.

Everyone's sight was drawn away from the shimmering orb between the teen's hands, as a veritable rainbow of light emerged from around his arm. Luke gasped as he _felt _the world around him shifting, the purple mist gathering in a manner not intended by any present.

The mist spiraled around his arms, seeming to be drawn further by the now rapidly flashing pins. The mist seemed to gather into the orb between Luke's hands, before firing tendrils of its existence out like a writhing beast. These tendrils lashed about violently, before multiplying by hundreds and crashing directly into the chests of every single replica at the top of the tower. They all screamed as their bodies were reduced to their base fonons, which were then absorbed into the mist.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Guy yelled, as the now violet orb pulsed wildly.

His answer was a massive shockwave emitted by the sphere, knocking everyone, Luke included, backward, and almost off the edge of the tower.

As they were blasted backward by the sheer concept of force, they didn't notice that the band of pins that was once around Luke's wrist was still where he had once been. The pins flared with light, and detached from the leather strip, before swirling around the now massive violet orb of miasma, and sinking within.

They did, however, see the orb flare a rainbow of color for a moment, before it seemed to take a shape. As the group rose, the orb formed the vague shape of a winged beast.

"It's…a dragon?!" Asch snarled out. "What the HELL did you do, dreck?!"

"Would you fuck off for just one goddamn second?!" Asch blinked at the venom in Luke's voice. "I didn't do a damn thing! I'm just as freaking confused as you are!"

"I think we have bigger problems than where it came from! It doesn't look too happy!" Anise yelled at the two.

Indeed, her statement was met with an earthshaking roar. Luke and Asch drew their blades, as everyone else readied for battle.

"I don't know what's going on here…" Luke started. "But I bet if we take that thing out, we take out the Miasma too!"

"Or we throw it back into the world." Jade quipped.

"Either way, we must at least defend ourselves!" Natalia cried.

The misty dragon roared again, spreading its wings, ready to fight.

* * *

"Why are you slowing down?"

Zero and Arietta were flying towards the Tower of Rem when suddenly Zero began to decrease his speed.

"At this rate we won't make it in time…"

"In time for what?"

"I don't know…nothing good though."

Arietta looked at the worried look on her companion's face. She reached up, as he stopped, hovering in place.

"Zero…please, tell me what's wrong." He'd done a lot for her so far, and asked for nothing in return. The least she could do was try to alleviate some of his worry.

"What is the world saying?"

"That…they won't make it…if we don't hurry. That they're up against something they can't beat without our help."

"Then why did you _stop_?"

He sighed, closing his eyes.

"Ari…I can get us there…really fast. But…I don't know…I don't know what its like to do it with more than one person. Hell it's a bitch and a half to pull off alone…"

"I trust you. Whatever it is, do it. If we're running out of time like you say, then we have to, right?"

"…right…"

"Just…one thing…" _Momma…even he said that I was holding back. I…believe them. Momma…I hope…that trick you said I could do…_

"Hmm?"

"When…when we get there. I want you to throw me as high above the tower as you can."

_Eh?_ "Why?"

"Trust me?"

The look she gave him pulled at his heart.

"…alright."

She smiled brightly at him. "Now…how are we gonna do this?"

"Just hold on tight."

She nodded, before she blinked rapidly, noticing that the air around them seemed…different.

"Uhh…"

"…part…of it…"

She nodded, watching with interest as his wings seemed to stop fluttering entirely, as the ground beneath them began to splinter. She heard the crack of earth being broken, and tilted her head down, eyes widening as the small island they were hovering over was beginning to crumble beneath some sort of force. She let out a small gasp as she noticed the very _ocean _around the island being forced away from where they were.

"Get ready."

She swallowed heavily, now just realizing how _big _this was, that he was suddenly doing. She clutched him tightly, as a massive pressure washed over her body. The world became a massive blur, as for a few moments, it felt like she couldn't breathe. She screwed her eyes shut, feeling his muscles tense around her, before she vaguely heard a loud **BOOM**.

In the blink of an eye, the two were gone.

And beneath where they once were, was a slowly filling crater.

* * *

Luke crashed into the ground next to Tear, who was forced to abandon her spell before the dragon's claw slammed into where she once stood.

The entire group was covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises from the dragon's relentless assault. _Nothing _was working. Physical strikes just passed straight through, magic seemed to disrupt it for a moment, but generally did nothing. On the off chance someone managed to land a seemingly damaging attack, the hole in the misty veil that was the dragon's body would repair itself.

It seemed to be mindless, however. It could throw spells around, but it wasn't very intelligent. But angering it through confusion was a bad move, as Anise quickly found. She had been directing Tokunaga to run circles around it, while Jade and Tear peppered it with offensive magic. Its focus being forced to split among three targets, it roared in rage, and swung its mighty arm out. Anise was caught off guard, and sent flying into Jade, who just barely caught the girl.

The group had gathered together since then, panting, holding wounds, and generally feeling horrible.

They saw the dragon readying another assault.

"Damn…get ready to move guys!" Luke yelled out.

But they wouldn't need to. Seconds before the dragon's spell completed, mighty rays of light rained down upon it from the sky, appearing to actually _hurt it_.

* * *

The girl was thrown.

High above the Tower of Rem, she could see the strange creature formed of purple mist below. Closing her eyes, she gathered her strength, particles of light appearing around her body. Grafting together, the particles became beams that rained down upon the top of the tower as the Arietta dropped.

Her hat, having long since flew off the top of her head upon their approach, was out of the way, as the girl reached down and un-latched the buttons that held the two parts of her over-cloth on her outfit. A wave of her hand and more rays of light shot from the sky, impacting the strange miasma creature, and actually damaging the false beast.

Her instincts were going haywire, her thoughts becoming more and more erratic the closer and closer she got to her landing point. Her heart was pounding, not from the exhilaration of dropping from who knows how high up, not from the impossibly fast flight to the tower…but from the presence of the Dragon. Her senses screamed that it wasn't real, that it was an abomination, a blight upon the earth over which it floated. They screamed danger, to fight or to flee, to shed her blood in ridding the earth of this horrid creature.

A flutter of cloth and the girl's dress was flying away behind her, caught in the tailwind of her descent. She varied things up a bit, grasping the chilled air of high altitudes and raining icicles of pain down upon the beast, which was just now beginning to look up.

Flinging her arms around briefly, Tear found herself pulled out of the way by Luke, as a strange green array appeared upon the ground, a highly dense amount of Wind fonons gathering where the soldier once stood. Everyone, including the dragon, watched as a blurred mass slammed into the ground where the array was, landing in between the party, and the beast.

As the dust cleared, everyone was treated to the sight of an undressed Arietta, wearing only her undergarments, hair shimmering in the light of the sun above.

"A-Arietta?" Anise stuttered in surprise. The pink haired girl was the last thing any of them expected to see, let alone dropping from the sky like that.

The girl paid them no heed however, as she glanced once at the dragon and then took a deep breath.

_It's time. This will be my first time pushing myself this far…even before Ion I never…_

She closed her eyes, and allowed her conscious mind to slip away. It was difficult. She'd spent so long being part of Humanity that she almost lost that which gave her the title she'd earned. But…both that stranger, Zero, and her mother, had a point. She may have suppressed it…but she hadn't fully given up her animalistic nature.

It was made easier, by the fact that her senses were screaming at her. Overriding the part of her that was human…was simple. But she had to do more than just that. She had to do more than just let herself think and feel like a beast. She had to charge it. Change herself. She had to connect, mind, body, and soul, with her inner animal…and let it all loose.

Gasps all around, as the girl began glowing a violent pink. Her hair began to flutter, blown around by her energy being released from its constraints, all her lessons, her knowledge, being thrown to the depths of her mind as she allowed her instincts to take over, and giving them full access to the power she'd learned to harness as a human.

She twitched. The animal in her wasn't satisfied with how she was standing. As the pink aura seemed to grow denser, and yet more transparent at the same time, eyes widened as it took the shape of a four legged animal, hunching on its hind legs. The animal wanted to be on all fours, it was more comfortable that way, and her human body relented. They watched as she leaned forward, knees bending slightly, body lowered to the ground like a beast of prey.

Her hair fanned out behind her as the field seemed to solidify, a single tail emerging from the back end of it, as her arms and legs positioned themselves in the same manner a cat would, as it was about to strike.

They blinked as a strange rumbling noise sounded from the girl's throat. Jade's eyes narrowed as through the field, he could see the girl's leg muscles tense, body held rigid. Anise just stepped back, scared out of her wits at the girl's transformation. She never knew Arietta was capable of something like this.

The growling grew louder, echoed by the Dragon as it grew irritated that something _more _would come to try to challenge it. While it had no intelligence, it had instinct, and its instincts stated that there were two more entrances in this battle, and these two would not fall as easily as the others.

Her eyes snapped open, teeth bared in a disturbing snarl as the girl growled louder. Unseen to them, her pupils had narrowed, becoming slits like that of a beast. Her irises seemed to glow a fierce blood red, as she let out a scream-like roar at the dragon before her. The dragon loosed its own roar, answering her call to battle.

And then she vanished.

A mighty **BOOM **resounded as the girl suddenly appeared again, hand cupped like a claw, embedded in dragon's snout. The miasma beast let loose a screech of pain as the weight of the girl's blow forced it backward, before she curled her legs beneath her, and with an echoing snarl, kicked off its chin, vanishing again as orbs of darkness ripped into place right where its arms were, causing the misty appendages to rip off and drop to the ground.

She re-appeared in mid-air, flying back and landing on all fours, skidding to a stop in front of the group, growling again. She pulled herself back, unconsciously wiggling her butt in the air, the way a feline would, before ripping forward in a blur. The dragon roared, spikes of ice shooing from the ground just before her, but she tilted to the side, deftly evading each one as it rose, before her hands were covered in flame, and she drove two sharp sets of flaming claws into the beast's chest, tearing gaping holes in the mist-dragon's form, before its now re-attached arm smacked her aside, making the girl give a small yelp of pain.

Anise screamed, it looked like Arietta was going to be flung off the tower, but a shimmering prism of light appeared and grasped the girl as Zero swooped down from the sky. He grabbed her around the waist before depositing her back where she started.

He was shocked out of his wits. He never knew she was capable of something like this. Instinctively giving her head a scratch the same way one would a pet, she gave a low contented growl, before her attention re-focused on the monster before them. Zero nodded, not knowing if she could see the action or not, before tensing as well. She shot off, and then after fanning out all six wings, he did as well.

The dragon roared, balls of violet flame ripping from its body and flying towards the charging two. Arietta simply stepped around each one, keeping her body low to the ground as she raced for the beast, while Zero would barely move an appendage out of the way, giving just enough space for him to 'graze' each attack, without costing himself any movement speed.

He flicked his arm out to the side, a sphere of unstable earth fonons within. Sensing the sphere, Arietta poured on the speed, before leaping over the dragon, confusing it, as Zero slammed the unstable energy into its chest, causing a massive screech from it, before its head was yanked backward by Arietta's Beast Aura extending its forearms out and wrapping around the dragon's skull.

Retracting the arms, she was pulled feet first into the back of the dragon's head, where she smashed into it, before leaping off, four rays of light shooting down into its back as she left. While it was weathering the beams, Zero swooped low, before slamming a wind covered fist into its stomach. Before detonating the gathering of fonons in his hand, Arietta literally spat a massive fireball at the dragon, which engulfed it, just as Zero released. The result, was a massive tornado of flame that shot towards the sky in a tight spiral. The blast surprised both of them sending them backwards towards the group, where Zero and Arietta both landed on their backs.

"COCKNUT!" Zero yelled as his back collided with the ground.

Arietta just gave a small whimper of pain, before she shook it off, and rolled over. As Zero slowly rose, stretching to un-crack the bones in his back, she began to growl again. He took that to mean something was wrong, and everyone watched as the dragon re-formed. For a second, Zero thought he saw something, but he couldn't tell if it was just remnants from the pain, or if it was real.

"Ok…it can regenerate. That's a bit of a bitch." Arietta snarled her agreement. The two nodded, and took off again.

Asch just blinked. "ok…who the hell is that and why was he able to hit that thing?!"

"That's Zero. He kicked our asses and saved Arietta's life through Hyperresonance." Anise answered, still awed by the two's performance.

"Wait…_that's_ the guy who threatened to kill everyone if I didn't shut up?!"

"Yeah." Luke answered, absently. "You don't want to mess with Sensei. Arietta's the whole reason why he helped us whenever he did. As for why he's the only one who can hurt it…I don't know."

"It…seems to become solid around him and Arietta." Natalia pointed out, nursing a sprained wrist.

Luke's eyes narrowed at that, before he realized what was going on.

"SENSEI!"

Flicking a small blast of air at the dragon's incoming claw, to deflect it, Zero lashed out with a blue sword, before blinking over to Luke.

"Make it quick Luke!"

"It's the pins!"

Zero blinked for a moment, before it all clicked.

"…DAMMIT that means I was right. Fuck! The one time I _want _to be wrong!"

"You know what it is now sensei?"

"ARI! FALL BACK!" Everyone stepped back as a massive sphere of light launched from Zero's hands, streaking over to where Arietta and the dragon were. The girl lashed out one last time, stunning the dragon with a swing of her claws, scraping its face, before turning and running, just as the sphere reached where she was, before detonating.

She appeared in a blur and a small poof of dust, panting. He pat her on the head, to which she simply leaned into his touch, giving a soft growl.

"The damn thing was made from my Pins. The Miasma must have grafted onto the resonating fonons from them, and stayed bound because of your Hyperresonance."

"We couldn't touch it. Not even Tear's hymns worked."

Zero just nodded, glancing back to see the dragon re-forming, but as he thought, he saw light glinting off the metal of the pins.

"It must respond to me being around, because it was _my _fonons which made the pins in the first place. And since I'm the one that made them, the pins still react to my presence, weakening the dragon by making it solid…though…why Arietta has that reaction…"

The girl just tilted her head at him. He kneeled down next to her, wondering why she wasn't talking. Taking in the aura, the eyes, and the sharpened and lengthened nails he came up with a conclusion.

"This is your first time doing this," he gestured his arm in a circle, to indicate her new state. "Isn't it?"

She bobbed her head, pink tassels gently floating inside the Beast Aura.

"We'll have to get you used to this state afterwards. I gotta say, I'm impressed." She smiled slightly.

"But we're out of time…I think I know how to beat this thing. Ari, I'm gonna need your help." She gave him a look.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you were gonna help anyway, just thought I'd let you know."

"Sensei, what are you gonna do?"

"…Luke, you trust me, right?"

"With my life, Sensei."

"Right." Zero nodded both to Luke and himself.

"Got one more run in you Ari?"

She gave a small yell of affirmation.

"Let's **FUCK SHIT UP!**"

Pulling a blue sword out of thin air, he vanished, Arietta staying behind for a moment, before loosing a loud roar, sharp spears of metal ripping from the open hole in the tower and rocketing for the dragon.

A quick stab to the dragon's left arm, and Zero ducked as a spike tipped lance slammed into the same location. He fanned his wings out, ascending as another two spears crashed into the dragon's chest. He flew back a bit, as the dragon tried to bat away another spear only for it to embed itself in its paw.

Swiping a hand along his blade, black flames erupted around it as he twirled it in hand before swinging upwards, rising into the air for a **Ryuenjin.** As Arietta appeared from behind it, crashing into its back with claws extended, he executed an air step, **Hienkyaku, **before electricity crackled around his hand and blade as he swiped it rapidly, a wave of energy whipping through the air and severing one of the dragon's wings. His **Denharei **almost struck Arietta, but the girl had leaned to the side just in time to evade it, as well as digging her heels into the dragon's back, yanking out its other wing.

Both of them dropped behind the dragon, and swung their arms, Zero's right, and Arietta's left.

The ensuing gathering of fonons took the form of a spiked ring of light, their combined **Zankourin **sawed their way into the beasts back, causing it to cry out in pain, as the two took a mighty leap and encased themselves in a shell of ice. The double **Hisuishou** punctured through the dragon's torso, and the two of them raced off.

"LUKE! HOWL!"

Immediately Luke took off, stepping twice until he was right in the face of the now horribly scattered dragon. Loosing a mighty yell, Luke slammed both arms to his sides as he called upon the seventh fonon and engaged his **Radiant Howl**. The resulting hyperresonance tore at the creature until it was reduced to a vague mist.

But Zero saw something the others didn't. When the dragon regenerated, the pins appeared for just a moment. As Luke was finishing his attack (both hands coming together to gather the very essence of the seventh fonon between them) Zero was mirroring it. Only for him, around both his wrists formed a giant crystal bracelet. From within, as Luke detonated the sphere, reducing the mist even further, Zero fired, six prismatic arrow-tipped rays launching from the device.

Luke felt the oppressive force behind him, and muttered a quick "oh crap" before the tendrils seemed to just barely bend out of his way, and crash into the mist behind him. He ducked down low, as the beams were still going, and crawled away from the strike area, before running back to the group.

It was lucky he did so, because the beams all combined into one, sucking the mist into a multi-colored sphere made of hundreds of spiraling rings, held together by the beams becoming a single arcing tendril of electricity. Around the 'orb' formed the crest of Chaos, Zero's personal calling card…but unlike usual, this time its appearance seemed to be posing a problem for the winged warrior.

"Tch…fucking…hard to…hold…" He mumbled, arms vibrating from the battle of "wills" between him and the pins. The problem was that the seventh pin he made, created to give Luke the ability to use the seventh fonon to facilitate recovery, was causing the mist body to regenerate as long as said pin existed. However, because of the method the creature was made, Zero had deduced that the seventh pin wouldn't activate until something disrupted the other six. And now, that seventh pin was radiating just enough force to cause Zero to be unable to fully excise the creature.

Until he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist, as the strands of energy gained a pink tint. He looked down, noticing the clawed aura, and then behind, seeing Arietta looking right at him. She gave a small smile, and spoke a single word.

"Destroy!"

Zero nodded, and the two combined minds caused the final pin to shatter, letting the miasma be sucked into the orb. A final pulse of energy, and the orb itself fragmented and exploded, taking with it the single most dangerous blight on the planet.

After the orb exploded, Zero's wings faded, and his arms dropped to his sides, sweat rolling down his brow as he panted. He felt the weight on his back increase, and looked behind him.

Arietta had slumped forward, unconscious, her Shell vanishing as she did so. He turned around and caught her under her arms, before leaning back and letting himself land on his behind, letting the girl rest in his lap.

"That was AWESOME Sensei!"

"Yeah…wasn't too fun though. Bit of a bitch to do…sorry Luke. I didn't realize the pins would have an adverse reaction to your attempt to wipe the miasma till I felt your call."

"It's alright. You can't plan for everything."

Zero nodded vaguely. "Yeah…doesn't mean I'm not gonna try though…"

"Umm…Zero?" Anise started.

"What brat."

"D-d'you-

"No friggin clue. She surprised me with that one too. Hell I was already confused when she said she wanted to be tossed above the friggin tower before we got here. All I know is she spoke with the ghost of her mum or something, before we came. Still…" He looked down at the girl who was resting in his lap.

"If she can pull that stuff off…it'll be a lot easier training her than I thought…" he muttered. Then he groaned slightly as he hefted her up, standing as well, holding her bridal-style in his arms.

"Well, as comfortable as I like to believe I am, this one needs a proper bed. As do I for that matter…was _not _easy taking that thing on…you should all get some rest too, if you couldn't even hit the blasted thing before we showed up…"

Luke nodded. "If you want, we can have Noelle-

"Nah…still got enough in me to fly to an inn. Plus, as little sense as it makes, I get less tired in the air."

"Alright. Take care Sensei."

Zero nodded and once again spread his wings, taking flight with a few flaps.

"Ok…he hates my guts, and I can't say I don't feel the same about him…but that will _never _stop being cool." Anise quipped.

"Why the HELL can he fly?!" Asch yelled.

"Why not?" Luke replied.

"That…what?! Dammit Dreck that doesn't even make sense!"

"Of course it does." Luke spoke, grasping the small crystal Zero made for him. Touching the small glyph on it, sent a signal to a similar one on the Albiore.

"You're just too stuck in your own head to realize it."

* * *

**Ryuenjin – **Dragon Flame Blade

**Hienkyaku –** Darting Swallow Leg

**Denharei **– Lightning Blade Zero

**Zankourin **– Slash Halo

**Hisuishou **– Jetting Water Soaring

**Rrha touwaka ra falfa wearequewie morto yorr. **In this wishful trance, i hope for your peace in death.

This was a bitch to write. My head just would NOT let things come together. And it's a lot shorter than I want it to be. The next chapter will make up for that though. It's the chapter I told you all about, written long ago. There's a bit of a time skip in it, but the actual details of what go on during, don't need to be said, I don't think. If you guys really want, later on I can whip up a flashback to what takes place, but…well, when you read the chapter, you'll see why it may not be needed.

Karndragon: oh there will be bashing. But it's not so much bashing as it is pointing out their idiocy. If they were actual people, stupidity like that wouldn't fly for long.


	6. Truth

The world returned to normal, as he came out of the Shift. Gravity distorted around his body, as the world's fonons re-arranged themselves to what they should have been.

He landed softly, wings vanishing behind him…tears silently streaming down his face.

_Dammit…I shouldn't be crying. I shouldn't be __**sad.**__ She's made her choice…and…_

He dried his tears, focusing.

_And I should be supportive. Fifty grand says I'm wrong anyway…but even…even if I am…I've got no right to be like this…_

* * *

As long as she'd known the girl, Anise had noted Arietta was not one for cursing. However…

"Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Dammit why did he have to use the _fucking _shift?! Agh we could have HAD him!"

Arietta was currently pacing the passenger area of the Albiore, pulling at her hair in frustration. Strands of pink were standing up at odd angles, the hat she usually wore long since tossed to the side, now being worn by Mieu.

The Albiore was "parked" so to speak, on a small island. The gravitational forces generated by the technique Zero used to evade them, simply called "Zero Shift" had forced Noelle either to keep going and risk having the aircraft crushed, or land, avoiding the distortion. Noelle sighed, having been enjoying the chase. He was good, no, he was beyond good.

_Loves to fly indeed. Didn't know he was that shiny thing I saw back at the Gate though…_

The whole thing started due to Zero taking Arietta to Daath a few weeks after the Tower of Rem incident. All Arietta knew at the time, was that he had another surprise for her. But she'd noted he was acting weird about this one.

When she saw Florian, she was frozen in shock. She didn't notice Zero had left until Anise ran in, dragging Florian and Arietta out of the chapel to race to the Albiore. Luke had felt a very _wrong _amount of fonons around his teacher, and realized something was horribly incorrect. The group boarded the Albiore, Arietta taking command when she started piecing together what might have been the problem.

For over an hour, Noelle pushed the Albiore to its limits, following the errant Zero through all manner of obstacles. He dipped under stone bridges, weaved between buildings, even plowed through the ocean at one point. His wings, and human size gave him a level of maneuverability the Albiore just couldn't compare to.

But She did it. Noelle kept up with him. It wasn't until Zero triggered the beginning stages of the Zero Shift, did Noelle have to give up the chase.

Luke and Natalia were trying (and failing) to calm Arietta. Florian was just simply watching, confused by both Zero's, and Arietta's actions. Tear was trying her hardest not to gush over how _cute _Mieu looked, underneath Arietta's hat, as Guy and Jade checked on the craft's systems and shell, to make sure nothing had been damaged. In fact, they were just returning then.

"Anything?"

Guy shook his head. "Flightstone seems a bit…dimmer than usual. It might have been overtaxed with all the crazy flying. I say give it an hour or so, and I'll check again. Otherwise, everything's fine."

Jade simply nodded. "Indeed. However…I did find this."

He held out a book. Or rather, he forced a book to hover before him. For a moment, everyone but Arietta gaped at what he was doing.

"Showoff."

Jade simply stared at the girl. "Not at all. I simply can't touch the book without having my hand burnt. There seems to be some form of severe protections upon it."

Arietta's eyes narrowed. She stepped forward, figuring she'd recognize any seals used by the God Generals.

"Wait…this isn't a Daathic seal at all! This is the Sign of Chaos!"

"Indeed it is." Jade agreed. "Which means this book belongs to our good _friend_."

Arietta glared at the older man. "Watch it, Necromancer. He's already beaten you out in fonic manipulatory progress. And he _doesn't _like you."

"Of course not. However…I do believe what is within this book could help our journey, no?"

Luke paused, recognizing the scribbles on the cover of the plain looking book. Actually, he recognized the style of book as well.

"Uhh…I don't think we should try opening it."

Everyone looked at him. He continued. "It…looks like a journal. I don't…think he'd want us reading that."

"…" Arietta was silent, staring at the book. As the others spoke around her, she just looked at the floating mass of paper. She nodded to herself, temporarily forgetting the book couldn't be touched, she grabbed it. The book began to glow, silencing everyone. She felt no pain at all, rather, she felt… _Acceptance? Wait is this thing __**letting **__me touch it?_

The Sign of Chaos appeared over the book, like a glyph, before unraveling. The glow faded.

"Hey…try opening it now." Anise prodded. Absently, Arietta nodded. Scrolling her eyes over the first few paragraphs, she gasped. Anise guided her to a seat, and without knowing, Arietta began to read aloud…

* * *

**N.D. Who the fuck knows, screw this places' yearing system. Just know its seven years before shit happens.**

**Shadowday? No wait, Remday. Shadow got shafted. (Sunday? The fuck?)**

So…apparently I'm in Auldrant. Didn't know there was a U there. Been forever since I popped Abyss in. I died. At least, I think I did. I remember a deer…cursing…slowing down…and not much else. So yeah, think it's safe to say I died.

Freaked out a little when I woke up here though. Apparently I've got the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception. Fuckin sweet. Now the question is do I have the Ryougi version or the Tohno/Nanaya version? I'm hoping my weirdness gives me the Ryougi version…I rather like having my brain intact thank you.

I figured I'd pick one of these up, like Luke did…does…will? Fuck if I know if he has one of these by now or not. Has the clone been made yet even? Ehh…can't be too sure. Either way, I'm here now. It's been a few days since I woke up. Had a first run-in with a monster. Flipped a shit for a while, almost got killed again, then kinda…got really pissed and tore the fucker's eyes out with my bare hands. Yeah…looks like all that suppressed rage before I began cycling it properly finally has an outlet.

SO! I'm here now. Seven years before shit starts…seven years…

* * *

**N.D. Still don't Fuckin know.**

**Undineday, Rem-Decan**

Hah! Finally learned the goddamn days and months. Yeah, some shit's gone down since I last wrote in this goddamn thing. I managed to convince (yeah more like coerce) Emperor Peony to let me do my thing on my own. Apparently I'm back in my ten year old body, which is kinda screwy but…I swear Clotho, you better be setting me up for what I think you are.

Didn't go too well at first, but threatening to reveal what happened to Hod actually made him think. Sure, the words of a ten year old would be kinda ehh, but I told him I had a recording device on me at the time, that had already captured his reaction. Let **that **out, and he's fucked.

Yeah like I had access to that type of thing so quickly? I'm just lucky the monsters here somehow like, shit cash when you kill them. That and their skins are veeeery useful for selling.

So, it's been a month since last time. Did the Peony thing, managed to get my own little section of the castle to do my studies in. I told him that if he did this for me, in eight years, he'd see how I end up repaying him. Told him to keep my presence and activities _away _from Jade though. If that old fuckass found out what I was doing the whole thing would go to shit.

Just by being here I'm probably changing things…Luke's life is hard enough, I don't want to add to it. But still…I think Clotho dropped me here for a reason. I mean, I was _dead._ They found me in the damn ocean, just floating there, lifeless. I think…I'm meant to save her. Well…meant to or not, I'm gonna. It's gonna take a while though…and I need to be strong. No…stronger than strong.

I need to be, what Van almost becomes.

I need to be a near **God.**

* * *

**N.D. 2010**

**Gnomeday, Shadow-Decan**

FINALLY LEARNED THE GODDAMN YEAR. Which means it starts on 2018. I gotta keep that in mind. I still have like, six and a half years though.

Lemme tell you, it is a BITCH learning Ispanian. Shit I barely learned anything of Japanese before I was thrown here…oh well, it's worth it.

So, I've realized what I gotta do. The people here, they're morons. Yes, even my dear Arietta…poor thing. If I pull this off I've _got _to fix her head. Yes…I'm not having _my _Arietta be stuck by the false rules of this world. If I'm gonna be a veritable god, then dammit I'm making her my Goddess. Hmm…I should probably get Luke as a knight too. For a seven year old trapped in a seventeen year old's body, that kid has mad potential.

Gotta start with the basics though. I started practicing on how to weave Fonons together. It's…not hard, but not easy either. I'm going in _my _order, rather than this world's. **YRGBBWS.** It's gonna be hard, but each year I'm going to devote that entire year to learning a specific element. This year is Earth.

Which is good actually because with the mechanics of this world, I can pull off some interesting tricks…

* * *

**Sylphday, Gnome-Redecan**

Mastered all base and intermediate level spells under Earth. Made a few of my own. Idiots have somehow managed to mix up Wind and Earth when making lightning though. That threw me off a bit, but I've since compensated. Man, some of these asshats are gonna be surprised when I fire some bolts out of my fingers and they have anti-wind armor, and then still get fried.

Food doesn't cost much here, thank the gods for that one. Been able to save up for a while now. Money grinding isn't bad, monsters drop a fair bit, and the people of the castle town are starting to get used to seeing me pop up. I think that one shop girl thinks I'm cute.

…damn my instincts. I wanna stay focused on Arietta…but…I'm a fucking survivor. I know possibility too well. She might not see me like that…hell she might very well reject my existence…

Ugh, no point in dwelling on that now. Still too long to go.

Started Shukuchi practice. I figure if I can get that down, considering its name is "Reduced Earth" I can work on the Flash Step later.

Had an idea, think I'll put it into practice when I reach light.

* * *

**Lunaday, Lorelai-Redecan**

Last day. Training's gone well. I've almost fully mastered earthen manipulation. Key word is almost. I've still got a way to go, but progress has been damn good.

Managed to master the first stage of Shukuchi.

Oh man, that was nuts. I almost forgot. Some idiot tried to rob that one item shop I frequent. Damn near stabbed that cute girl working the armor section, bastard. Imagine his surprise when a ten year old with a pocket knife pops out of nowhere, cuts his arm off, and then jams a **Chidori **through his chest?

Not surprised anymore, fucker's dead. That kinda happens when a bajillion bolts of electricity are formed into a nigh-blade around someone's hand and they jam it through your heart.

I get discounts at that place now. Fucking WIN.

Gonna get some sleep, gotta get up early to buy new books tomorrow…

* * *

**N.D. 2011**

**Ifritday, Ifrit-Decan**

It is a **TITBITCH **learning Fire here. This place is Water-central, so obviously it's gonna be hard but fuck man, harder than I thought.

Managed to pull of a few weak fire spells though. By weak I don't mean level, I meant they're low in power. Gimme a break, I'm still new at this. Still, it's good practice.

I've been throwing in a bit of earth every now and then as well. Just a day's worth of practice though. To keep my skills up. Once I get out of this town, I'll work more on fusions…I've got a _neat _idea…

* * *

**Loreleiday, Sylph-Redecan**

Second Stage of Shukuchi mastered.

Man, when I get out of here, these fire spells are gonna be insanely powerful. I've had to work much harder on weaving the fonons for these than with Earth. Speaking of which, I found a trick to casting lightning faster.

Fuse a smidgen of Red with Yellow, and you get a fair bit of heat right? Since electricity generates heat, I had a theory that with a bit of Red, I could maybe make a bigger spark.

It works. It's only good for like, one big bolt, but it makes a HELL of a Thunder Blade. Actually, speaking of TB, pulling that off makes it a bit easier to think up how my other idea is going to work…

* * *

**N.D. 2012**

**Sylphday, Sylph-Decan**

Wind, wind, wind. The moisture in the air makes it a bit heavier, but still. I like wind. It's fun. Managed to make some stuff float, working on making sharper air currents. My eyes hit second level today. I can see points on people, and more defined lines on not-people. Pretty weird seeing stuff like this…I swear I've had this…type of sight before though. Like, I look back at my old life…and some of my memories, it almost looks like some of the people I knew were broken like this.

Got my first glance of Arietta today. She and Van came by to see the emperor for some reason. Man she's cute. Hmm…now that I think about it…when _does _Ion die? Ehh, I guess it doesn't matter…

* * *

**Gnomeday, Shadow-Decan**

So, I came up with an idea. I've already practiced with making myself hover and move slightly with wind. I think I might be able to fly. I'm gonna leave the city for a while, get some supplies and spend a week in the wild, get a feel for the fonons outside of familiar territory. Maybe I can pick up on the wind currents…

I always wanted to fly…

* * *

**Remday, Undine-Redecan**

So, I've hit third level of Shukuchi. I wanted to test some Nature spells, but I kinda need a bit of Water to pull that off…next year, I'll try it. I DID manage to further enhance my fire spells. I think at this rate I can probably take out half a forest in a single shot. Refined my Magma spells too. Searing Sorrow eat your heart out. This shit can melt steel.

Came up with a pretty sweet move. Make an earth barrier, fill it with fire fonons to disrupt its structural integrity, block an attack with it, flash flame the rocks so they turn to liquid, then blast it with a heated pulse of air at whatever just attacked. I'm gonna take a week or two to get the melting and banishing part down to being done in the span of a couple seconds. As is, it's useful against idiot monsters, but not that good against humans.

That flight idea is coming along interestingly. I think I might have a different method of doing it though…I'll keep trying.

* * *

**N.D. 2013**

**Undineday, Rem-Decan**

Damn…water is way too easy to wield here. It flows so simply. I always did love swimming. All this practice with the other elements is making grasping Water fonons too easy.

Learned something new. Shukuchi can't run on water. I'll have to further test this…

* * *

**Remday Gnome-Decan**

Nope. Shukuchi can't water walk. Even with me trying to hold it together. I get maybe three or four steps and then I drop. That sucks. I'm gonna have to start working on Shunpo soon. I'm pretty sure that's gonna be a bitch, cause I don't know the full mechanics of that.

Oh well. Finally managed to pull off some Nature spells. Was kinda hard figuring out the right balance between Water, Earth and Wind. Managed to grow a flower though. If I run into Arietta again, I'll give one to her.

Also started work on Ice spells. It's kinda funny, I think mine will be strong as hell. Not just cause of where I am, but because how I'm doing it. One would think wind and water would be enough, and it probably is. But see, I'm using Fire as well. I'm inversing fire to drain the heat out of the air before I use it to cool the water. It's working pretty well. My version of Icicle Rain actually punctured metal. The crystallization process actually gave me another idea for my bigger idea.

Wonder if I can do that with earth…

* * *

**Gnomeday Shadow-Decan**

So I took a trip to the beach a couple days ago. Decided to get used to wielding water with different minerals in it. And then an idea struck. I used a bit of wind to kick up some sand…and lo and behold I could wield the sand easily. Threw in some Earth to bind it together, and there I was, acting like Gaara. Fucking WIN.

This opens up an _entirely _new form of combat, and defenses. Also managed to make a few different shapes with Ice. I think I'm one step closer to my first idea. Not much closer to the second, though I CAN water walk without Shunpo. Not too difficult actually. Just gotta bend the water right, and it'll support your weight, because it's not being displaced. Still, Shunpo would be more useful.

Gonna work a bit more on sand when I have more time. there's a lot of points in the plot I wont be needed, so I can practice then. Like I said, I **will **be a God of this world…even if I'm one of those quiet ones. Anything, to keep her safe…

* * *

**N.D. 2014**

**Remday, Sylph-Decan**

I think I might end up finishing a year early. In that case, I'll go over what I've been practicing. I wont start making a name for myself until the lands are dropped though…

Anyway, Darkness is here. Kinda difficult…but I expected that. It's very tricky. Needs a certain frame of mind to wield for now. It's alright, I have time.

Picked up a new trick though. Sand Coffin and Burial techniques are pretty well held. The surprise factor is definitely there. Learned how to hollow out stones and extract some small traces of minerals there, so I can whip out the sand whenever I need to.

Bending Shadows is pretty simple, and soon I wont need a light source to help me. Gonna be a bit tricky converting the immaterial to the tangible, but I think I can pull it off.

* * *

**Ifritday, Shadow-Redecan**

Shunpo is almost complete.

I messed up a while ago, and ended up supercharging an earth spell. Went boom pretty well…so I thought about it. Turned it into a Ragnarok. Which is totally badass. Now, people will flip, thinking they're gonna get TB'd when they get hit by mad earth.

Darkness is proving its worth in difficulty though. Almost have it down. Gives me another idea…man, I gotta stop getting side-tracked…

* * *

**Loreleiday, Lorelei-Redecan**

Finally, done with Darkness. Managed to figure out how to make it solid. It's actually really simple, I can't believe I missed it. Just have to infuse negative emotion with the fonons you're weaving, then it becomes reality. I'm almost done making those swords. They shatter too quickly though.

The plan is to make them out of shadow, but encase that energy into crystal by way of either Earth or Light. Ice breaks too fast, and makes my arm cold. Earth is pretty solid for a while, but they don't cut as well. So I'm thinking a small shell of earth, surrounded by another shell of light, for the severing power, will do it.

Man, this is annoying. My wrist keeps locking up whenever I write for too long now. Wish I had some sort of recording device…hmm…maybe when I hit seven…

* * *

**N.D. 2015**

**Lunaday, Rem-Decan**

And now I hit Light. After this, Sound and some refinement are left. Swords should be ready after this one, but who knows.

I've gotten some more ideas floating around, refining the process behind my flight. The Albiore uses a flightstone to power its hovering capabilities, so I'm wondering if I can use something similar, if only internalized.

Not eating a rock though. Fuck that.

Actually, I think Light might be easier than I think…after dealing with Darkness, which is the absence of light, I know how to remove and place darkness in a location, which would immediately make it easier to channel light.

Still gotta take a shot though.

* * *

**Gnomeday Ifrit-Redecan**

Major progress with EVERYTHING. Holy shit, I was right. Swords are almost complete. Shadow to form them, a light coating of Earth to create a shell, and a coat of Light to let them cut. All I need to do now is work on the summoning time. still takes a second, and that's a second too long.

Got Ray down though, modified it so it acts like a gatling gun rather than a bunch of shitty beams coming at an angle. Gonna see if I can't replicate Judgment, and the higher forms.

Started learning how to weave words with fonons…not gonna push on that just yet, gonna leave that for sound.

Came up with a new spell though, got the idea from Nicole, years ago. Flame some sand, turn it glass, shatter the glass and rain it down on some bitches. Worked perfectly, there was a group of bandits not too far from the city, took them out with it. Spent the night with their captives, bunch of decent looking women. Poor things, I'd apparently acted just in time. mass orgy was going to occur, and the ladies were _not _going to enjoy it.

Learned how to channel light into my ice spells as well. Light generates heat, after all. So that's two more ways I can form a powerful ice spell. Plus, give it a slight boost of light energy and you can pin down one of those really _rare _shadow beasts.

Shunpo is all but mastered now. Still got a couple things to do before the year is done…

Soon…

* * *

**Remday Lorelei-Redecan**

Last day. Prepping for sound.

I did it. I can make wings…but they don't do anything. I noticed though, when I pop them out…I feel…stronger. I only have two sets for now. I can't help but wonder, if the method I'm using to generate my wings, is actually allowing the fonons within me to cycle faster. I noticed my reaction times have doubled when I use all four, my casting times have been reduced by three **whole **seconds, and my mind can process information a lot better.

I looked in a mirror once. They're silver, which is awesome. But when I shift angles, it looks like it's showing a bunch of different colors, which is even MORE awesome. So, my wings are ready, I just need to figure out how to fly with them.

Peony showed up. That was surprising. He said there were some people trapped on one of the nearby mountains, they were doing some research on the processing of Fonons into crystals. Asked if I could lend a hand, cause of my little known skills. I agreed. Dude's been pretty chill with me, even though I basically threatened his entire regime when I popped up, so I figured I owed him one.

That's rare to get out of me too.

But anyway, there was a small cave, and the entrance had caved in. It was a good test for my ideas too, I practiced a bunch of things. Grinding the rocks to dust and then using the sand made from that to crush some others blocking the way, superheating them and then super cooling them to shatter them, hell I even managed to perfect some new Gravity techniques.

All in all, a good week, that one.

Gonna get some rest, tomorrow I start sound.

* * *

**N.D. 2016**

**Sylphday Undine-Redecan**

Been a while since I updated this. But I've had my reasons.

Sound is…everything I'd imagined, and then some. I figured out how it works, even managed to learn how to tie it into mental commands for glyphs, it's incredible.

I've tied some of my fonons to this book, it's still got a shitton of pages, so I'm not worried about space. But not only that, I linked it to an inkwell, spread within the cover. Then, with a couple of specially made seals, I've managed to tie it to my voice.

The wonders of the Seventh Fonon.

So now, I only have to read over what I say, because I have to manually erase anything I don't want in there. Sure I could probably find some way to do it without, but as lazy as I am, I'm not complacent. I don't mind a bit of work, especially if it's something small like that, compared to how _big _what I'm doing is.

But anyway, I managed to perfect my wings. Using the seventh fonon, I can generate a very slight sound wave around me, using the vibrations generated by the fonons in my wings, to fly.

My gods…what an amazing sensation. I flew around the world in only a few days, it was so fast.

Can't really do much but extend my air-time, and jumping abilities without my wings though. But I can triple it if I use Gravity to boost. Another thing I learned, as powerful as it is, the Seventh Fonon has one glaring weakness. It requires a medium to travel through. Solid objects are the best, the more solid the better, because the vibrations need to pass through. Air works fine…but…someone like me, could completely cancel the effects of a Seventh Fonist, if I simply _remove _the air around where they're trying to affect.

It's nuts.

Also, I found out _exactly _what hyperresonance is. People have classes for it, Hyperresonance, Second-Order Hyperresonance, it's all the same thing though. It's a massive amount of Seventh Fonons being generated, and then vibrated at a specific frequency that breaks an object down to its base particles.

Best thing is, **nobody **seems to get this. They think it's some sort of mystical thing that occurs when two seventh fonists collide, kinda like Chaos. They're close, but so far. That's why when Luke manages to pull it off on his own, everyone's like "what the fuck?" Luke has the same fonon frequency as Lorelei, and it's **boosted **by the fact he's a replica, which is made almost _entirely _of seventh fonons. Because of that, he has incredible potential control over them, which, because of his lack of education, manifests solely as hyperresonance.

So, I can generate a hyperresonance of my own, on my own. It's kinda hard though, I'm not Luke, or that emofag Asch, so I have to actually focus. It's pretty rewarding though, to watch something crumble at my touch whenever I feel like it…but I could do similar things with other elements so the novelty wears off quickly.

Figured out how people heal with it too. They create a certain tone that makes the body resonate, and then the vibrations coat the wound, shattering impurities, and stimulating natural recovery rates.

Oh, also learned _why _Tear's hymns work so damn well. It's because Yulia was basically a damn Revateil. Yulia and Lorelei, when they made that pact, basically turned the fucking planet into a Song Server. Which is why when the Clone Ion dies, and Tear sings at his wake, the **planet **responds, granting her the knowledge of the next part of a bigger song.

They're so damn dangerous because _she _is basically a Revateil as well. And this world is the tower she links to. And through song, wielding the seventh fonon, she can change the world with her prayers, just like them. Damn, if she wasn't such a bitch to Luke in the beginning, showing how fucking idiotic she could be, especially after Akzeriuth, my respect-o'-meter for her would be through the roof.

Hmm…I wonder if I could make Arietta a Revateil as well? Especially since this place doesn't have that whole Origin-Beta-Alpha crap going…Tear's the only one who can sing Yulia's hymns…but…well, I know a few from the Tower of Eolia, and the Tower of Frelia that I might just be able to convert into spells…

Agh, I'm getting ahead of myself now. Still gotta deal with plot…Think I'm gonna go fly again…that always helps.

* * *

**N.D. 2017**

**Ifritday Undine-Decan**

Been done with sound for a while now. This year is devoted to perfecting what I have so far, as well as coming up with bases for new ideas. I found a way to confine fonons to specific objects, so I think I'll start practicing making pins soon. That would actually help Luke in the long run. I know I shouldn't be changing much, but at the very least, what I want from him is for him to be able to Self FOF, without the FOF.

Less than a year before it starts…I hope I can pull this off…

* * *

**Gnomeday, Lorelei-Redecan**

Alright. I think it's time to make a list of my abilities, so I know where I stand. It's been almost eight years since I landed in this world. And to think, this was all just a game before I woke up here…a fabrication…

Anyway, starting from the top.

**Earth:** All Base, Intermediate and Advanced spells native to the world. Sand manipulation, Lightning manipulation. Crystal manipulation is still in the works.

**Fire:** All native spells. Earth-Fire fusion abilities. Able to generate magma, able to remove heat from objects to paralyze and supercool things when doubled with wind. Combined with Sand, glassing trick.

**Wind: **Native spells. Able to extract minerals and impurities from the air. Able to negate wind currents, heat and cool objects through air currents. Extraction of oxygen from air, not a pleasant way to go. Combined with Water, can manipulate Ice, combined with earth can make sand, combined with water again, can generate a displacement field under water that drains oxygen from the water and filters it into a bubble around me, or whatever I pick. Really nifty for swimming forever.

**Water:** Native spells. Water walking, ice gliding. Not much else, Water's pretty dull actually, really simple once you understand how it works. Ice manipulation is better than anyone else's.

**Darkness**: Native Spells. Bloody howling is INSANE. Shadow Walking, can't make dark corridors though, sadface. Combined with earth, gravitational manipulation. Very useful. Not much can block gravity, it's even stronger in destructive applications than fire. Lesser than sound or water in creative applications though, if only just. Working on Zero Shift.

**Light: **Native spells. Prism Sword was fun to learn. Combined with earth and shadow, I can make my phantom swords. Able to generate quick flares of light to blind and disorient, can use to heal some wounds, not as good as with Sound though. Working on Shining Bind.

**Sound: **Native spells. Hyperresonance. Minor elemental unification, focusing on Light and Sound, I can generate my wings. Able to synchronize sound patterns to replicate voices, images and generate illusions. Working on Hymmnos.

**Non-elemental: **Shukuchi, Shunpo, Juuken. Wings. Unknown energy generator within myself that activates when wings are unlocked, still researching. Data Drain; can use specially augmented crystals from Ortion Caverns, formed into a small bracelet to generate miniature hyperresonances at will that can travel distances. Anything touched has something happen, depending on my will, or the amount of power I put into it. Really dangerous, glad I erased all notes about them.

Alright…that's everything of note. In a few days, the new year starts, then I'll be making my way to Baticul. Once I do…well…everything begins…

* * *

**Akzeriuth Prior**

Dammit…I wanna go help Luke a bit but…Arietta's there. And I know they're gonna fight. And…I can't get involved, or I'm gonna flip a shit and murder all of them for touching her.

Funny…_it _has already accepted her as its potential mate…the very thought of her being harmed…

Stepped to the manor after everyone left. Fought the Sword Dancer there. That was actually a challenge. His body has no flesh, so it was difficult to land a proper hit. A good Ray spell to his face shut him up for a moment, and I was able to take off a couple limbs before he submitted the fight to me.

Damn…he reminds me of Nu. So many friggin swords. I wonder if I can use that…

God…she's gonna hate me when I tell her all this…that I could have stopped her from being hurt…I feel like such a douche…I'm sorry Arietta…

* * *

**Akzeriuth**

Damn, that was close. Luke's asleep now, probably synched with Asch, the douche. Good thing I took off the second he went in there with Van. Damn that was bright. Eyes were hurting for a little bit.

Kinda vented at the idiots for a while. Glad I did, I needed that. Managed to get in one more batch of Shunpo practice with him. He's coming along quickly. Once he gets the hang of his atom smashing powers, we can get to more fun things. For now, I gotta make these pins. He's gonna need a bit more umph in the next fight against Asch.

* * *

**Akzeriuth Second**

Pins are done. Gave them to Luke, who cut his hair, the dumbass. He's growing it back whether he likes it or not.

Still…

I put a tracking seal on the pins. It's attuned to his fon signature, so all I have to do is replicate his vibration, and I can see and hear everything around him. I'm sorry Luke…I know it seems like I'm being a manipulative bastard…

I guess I'm a control freak. I swear though, once Arietta is secure, I'm telling him then blasting the seal off those pins. I won't need it past that…but until then…I need to be able to keep tabs on him…so I know when I have to act.

* * *

**Roneal**

Dammit dammit dammit! Why the FUCK did I do that?! Ugh…I know why…it's cause I can't take any chances. I had to make sure she was safe. I know Luke's group is safe, they got thrown to the ledge, but Arietta…she and her crew get thrown off. I caught her…and she saw me. Dammit. I hope this doesn't fuck anything up…

* * *

**Absorption Gate**

Well…that was…unexpected. I show up to find out where they are, and I end up getting laid. Huh…am I complaining? I dunno. Damn, I knew Noelle was hot but **damn**. Girl can work it too. She obviously knew what she was doing, even if she was kinda…I guess possessed.

I'm glad it knocked her out of it though. I didn't know that would happen. Exposure to mass quantities of Fonons by those who don't encounter large amounts on a regular basis causes unusual reactions. Must have been the Gate.

Still, good to know I still got it. It's been what…seven years now? Damn, I've been focusing so much on training and getting all this right…huh…didn't help I was in a kid's body for a while.

Van's been dealt with…for now. He'll be back…but hopefully he'll be weaker. Even with Lorelei boosting his power in the end, I hope that total RAPAGE I gave him, along with the little boosts I've been giving Luke, make it easier.

* * *

**Miasma return**

Purple stuff's back. Nothing of note really happened between the Gate and now. Cept for the second Sword Dancer fight. Bastard was harder than before. Faster too, how the fuck does that even work?! He's a damn skeleton!

I actually had to use my sword on him. Phantom blades weren't enough. Still, he went down. Just one more fight. Maybe I'll give the sword to Luke…

Started work on my next level though. Eyes are maxed out, highest level of Shunpo and Shukuchi available, but I'm working on some more stuff. Almost have Zero Shift complete.

This was when…yes, all those damn replica soldiers show up. Dammit this means…I better go.

* * *

**Ion**

That little trap! I swear, he MUST have some sort of precognition. He knew he was going to die soon…bastard. Leaving everything in my hands…dammit kid…

I'm sorry…I really am. I wish I could change things…but I can't…not if I want Arietta to be safe…

God she's gonna hate me…

I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…

* * *

**Replica War**

First active use of my Bracelet successfully. Drain Heart function works beautifully. Arietta and I teamed up against the replicas. I think my presence unnerved Regret, she left pretty quick. Girl almost attacked me, but when I covered her Liger ally from a Searing Sorrow from Regret, she stopped seeing me as an enemy. Score one point in my favor.

I didn't think my mini-hyperresonance generators would work so well. But considering I figured out how it works…heh. Awesome.

* * *

**Challenge**

Well…this is it. This is the sequence I've been waiting for. Arietta issued her challenge. Damn, she's positively _sexy _when she's pissed. Her innate power starts making her hair flutter, her eyes get darker, I swear her nails start getting sharper, hell it looked like her canines were starting to form into fangs too. Damn, she's really earned her title.

I'm not ashamed to admit that part of me wanted to see her rip that little child-slut's head off right then and there. She didn't, of course…but still.

Hmm…no…I can't shadow her. I want to, to make sure everything fits right but…things will unfold soon.

I gotta get ready. It's almost time…

* * *

**Island**

Holy goddamn that place was huge. Didn't look that big on the screen. It actually looked kinda nice. See, Fomicry isn't that bad…if you use it for the right reasons. Taxes the planet though…there's gotta be a way to fix that. Anyway, Arietta was there, thankfully. So were the reps. Hmm…Guy's sister was kinda cute. Pity she's technically undead now…and if what I'm thinking will happen is right…

Poor dude. Lost everything, then some douche comes along and makes a copy of his sister. I'd be flipping shits if it were me…probably.

Dropped in after everyone poofed. Final Sword Dancer fight. He was _really _quick this time. I figured it out, he was generating an anti-earth field to reduce the weight of his limbs when he needed to move. Crafty bastard, that's something _I'd _come up with.

Caught him in a Divine Judgment though. Before he went down he wished me luck, saying he'd been sensing the changes I've made. Dunno what the hell he was but he was a worthy opponent, I'll give him that. My eyes were damn near useless against him, till I decided to start _cutting _his blades.

Yeah, this sword is too big and heavy for me. I'm gonna give it to Luke at some point.

Hmm…those machines…wait…wasn't there a sidequest…?

* * *

**Success**

I DID IT! Holy fuck. Ho. Ly. FUCK. I fucking did it. After all these years…all this planning and all this training…I finally did it. She's safe. She's next to me actually, we're sharing a room in Engave's inn. Gods she's beautiful.

I was so scared…gods I was scared. I almost lost her. The _damn _miasma! How could I not think of that as a factor! I completely forgot she got contaminated! Dammit…I was so adamant about not seeing them all fight I forgot such an important thing! I could have gotten rid of it before it got so bad…

Luke…I can't express into words how impressed I am with him. I guess all that work I did on him paid off. We make a pretty good combo actually. I know…I wouldn't have been able to save her…if it weren't for him. As powerful as I am…as near godlike as I've become…even I have limits. And staying up for two nights trying to perfect what I was going to tell her…how I was going to tell her the truths she so rightly deserved…and then unlocking a fair amount of power during the fight to weave fonons so quickly…

Not the best of ideas.

I gotta repay him, somehow. I'm not Len, so I can't give him one of _those _dreams. He'd probably flip out anyway…and he and Tear are already really close…can't do anything there…

I know. I'll make a pin. And I'll give it to him, to use on his mom. Yeah…she's supposed to get sick soon, isn't she? Yeah…I think that quest opens up not too long after the Miasma's gone. I think I've still got a couple weeks though. It'll take a few days or so for them all to recover, and definitely at least five of them for the Princess Bitch to re-stabilize.

Little twat tried to kill my Arietta. Death is too good for her. No…I've taken away what makes her a woman. She'll never have children. Now she's not even worth being breeding stock.

Ugh, I gotta stop thinking about this. She pisses me off, and I don't wanna bother Arietta.

She's sleeping so soundly…I can almost hear the difference in her lungs…

I'm gonna take her back to the forest soon. Help her make a proper grave for her mother. The makeshift one Luke put together got scattered in the fight.

Still…she needs work. Her spell slinging isn't as fast as it could be…and she's weakening herself by staying just a caster. Damn, as much as I respect him, I can't help but curse the Original Ion for ruining her. She's supposed to be Arietta the Wild, not Arietta the Domesticated. I'm gonna have to find a way to bring back her wild side.

Now that I think about it…I don't know anything about her! Fuck! I don't know her favorite food, her favorite color, her music tastes (assuming she has any), her temporal preference…god and I DARE say I…

Ugh, the wiki's were useless for that…considering the damn plot writers had her DIE without meaning! Assholes…I'm glad I fixed that. She deserves life. She deserves to be…allowed to choose…at least.

Oh well…I've got plenty of time now…she's safe…and that's all that matters to me.

I can't say it aloud yet…but…I understand now. I've been denying it willingly all this time…Luke, you were right.

I love her…

* * *

**Rem**

Mother bitch.

That's all I can say. Damn…I've been screwing up lately. Well…I guess you can't say it was my fault. How was I supposed to know the damn pins would react like that?

Thankfully Luke's become proficient enough he doesn't need them anymore. Good thing too, I had to destroy them to do it.

Seems I did more than just cure Arietta. I think I may have infused her with some of my own fonons…and they're circulating, rather than dissipating. Must have been that last healing spell I used.

Speaking of Arietta, HOLY GODDAMN! I didn't know she could do all that! I didn't even _begin _to start teaching her and she pulls all that off! I've never seen her move so fluidly! Damn dragon couldn't land a hit on her! And she was flinging spells like nobody's business! I guess her mother must have said _something _to her. She was fighting like a girl possessed!

Tired her out though, she's sleeping soundly next to me again. Looks like I can devote some time to her now…the others have more pressing things to deal with…

Still…they're…gonna get Florian soon.

It…would be wrong of me…to keep her from him…but…

No. I have to stay focused. Her health and happiness are all that matters…

* * *

**Trap-kun**

This is it…tomorrow I take her to see Florian. She doesn't know he exists…so it'll be a surprise. Hopefully a good one.

Part of me wants to ignore him, continue her training and let her find out herself…but…then she'd realize I knew…and she'd probably hate me.

I don't…want that.

I mean…I know I love her…I know…especially since I'm never going back _there_, I want to spend the rest of my days with her…but…

I want her…above all…to be happy. And if she's happy…with him…

Stupid chivalry…aren't you supposed to be dead? Ugh…my brain hurts. I'm going to sleep…

I mean…I love her…and…the one you love…you gotta make sure they're happy, right? I didn't do that good a job before…but…I will this time…

* * *

The Albiore was silent.

Arietta fluttered a few more pages, her voice having become soft, neutral, as she read. Upon seeing no more having been written, or dictated, she closed the book softly. She looked up, hair framing her face, tears rolling down her eyes, observing everyone's reactions.

Luke was staring out one of the windows. His shoulders were sagging with an unknown weight, perhaps it was the knowledge that he was a tool to be used, once again, was in his mind. Or maybe, he felt powerless to help the young man whom had quickly become his friend, and his teacher, replacing the traitor known as Van.

Jade had his head bowed, glasses reflecting the light of the dying sun. A frown was on his face, his stance rigid. She wondered if maybe he'd come to realize exactly what it was that Zero had done for them all, being transported from another world, spending years **mastering **the powers of this world…all to make sure one thing came to pass. She thought, even the man called the Necromancer, had to respect that level of devotion.

Her eyes turned to Natalia, who was shaking and sobbing. A small well of pity blossomed in Arietta's heart, before it was stamped down upon. After all, the false princess _did _try to kill her, while she was within a sanctioned and mediated duel. No, Arietta would not allow herself to feel pity for the woman. She deserved her fate, for allowing her emotions to cloud her judgment. Then again…she mused, wasn't Zero doing the same thing?

She turned to Guy, who was glaring at the ground. His shoulders were taught, but moving slightly. She let go of herself, allowing her bestial instincts to take over slightly, and her eyes locked onto the silent vibrations. The man was crying. But why? Perhaps from respect, for the level of devotion Zero showed towards his cause. His fists were clenched, a snarl on his face. Angry tears then? But why? She was puzzled, his scent was confusing as well.

She looked to Tear, who was sitting, holding Natalia slightly. The girl was whispering softly, the words slurred together by the weight in her voice, so even Arietta's hearing couldn't determine what was said. Her body was slouched, much different from the usual soldiered look she had. Her hands were trembling, even as they clasped around Natalia's in a gesture of comfort. Zero's revelation of exactly what was done to the princess hit hard, and as a fellow woman of age to consider such things, Tear could echo the elder girl's pain.

Her eyes glanced to Anise, who was shuddering almost even more than Natalia. However, her scent was mixed, a mixture of rage and sorrow. Arietta mused she would feel the same way, if it weren't that Zero had already helped her get over the passing of both Ion. Her meeting with Florian, and then reading of Zero's tredeptation in bringing her to him, fearing her separating from him, but accepting, in the end, the possibility, allowed some closure. Anise, however, was hated by him, and though his comforting skills were top-notch, she would not be blessed by them. Arietta shook her head slightly, this time allowing pity to bloom for Anise. She still despised the girl greatly, but could echo her pain of loss. However, unlike Arietta, Anise still had both her parents, and her friends.

Finally, her eyes landed on Noelle. The girl was absently fingering the goggles she wore, recalling how Zero had mentioned one of his favorite fictional characters wore a pair. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, finally knowing what it was that lay behind the many faces worn by the man she all but raped. Arietta blinked, finally understanding why it was that Noelle's scent was tainted with his. She felt something blossom in her heart. Rage? No…Jealousy? Perhaps. Irritation? Maybe. She clamped down on those emotions, realizing that they were meaningless, she and Zero weren't even courting each other, and as he said, he's a realist, a survivor. But after reading about him…seeing his thoughts, how scattered and yet focused they were…

Arietta knew, she wanted to.

It was Florian, who broke the silence.

"What's a plot?"

His question brought everyone out of their thoughts. It was Tear who answered. "A plot…is a plan, or a story."

"Oh…you mean like the Score?"

Instantly Luke sat up. Things were starting to make sense.

"…game…" He muttered. Everyone turned to him. He didn't realize he was thinking aloud.

"Spoilers…he knew because he was meant to know…plot..." His eyes locked with Arietta's.

"He wanted to change one thing from happening…and while getting ready for that one thing…he wanted to change my life…he knew all this…because he'd done it before. This…was my story…my _plot_. He couldn't tell me what would happen, because he didn't want to change anything beyond what he could control…both for my sake, and hers…the nature of the word 'spoilers'."

He continued muttering, though his words were clear as day.

"He called it a game…said plot would happen…he's from another world…a world…where we don't exist…except…as characters…in a story…a story with endings he didn't agree with…he died…and came here. Here…years before the story began…he was given a chance to change things…change the outcome of the story…change the _game_. He knows everything because he's _played _it. We were just characters in a story he had control over…he knew all my moves…all our histories…because he'd technically learned them from us…through a game."

"Luke…what the hell are you saying?!"

Luke blinked. "Huh? Wait…did I say that out loud?"

"It's good you did. It seems you're closer to figuring things out than we are. Care to enlighten us?"

Luke opened his mouth, but then snapped it shut, remembering all the times Jade had information, and wouldn't speak.

"I'd rather not say anything until I have a clearer picture."

Jade's eyebrows rose in surprise at having his own tactic thrown back at him, before he let loose a humorless chuckle.

"Well…we always have ways of extracting the information." It would seem the situation had struck a nerve with the Necromancer.

"Maybe, but move even an inch and you won't live to try them." A familiar voice spoke from behind him. Jade felt a very large pressure center itself in his chest. His breaths became slightly heavier. His eyes widened. Everyone whirled around to see Zero, looking exhausted, but hand held out slightly, a faint violet-black glow around it.

"Sensei!"

"You're probably wondering what it is I'm doing to you, Necromancer. Well you see, Luke's a good friend of mine, and I don't like you. And with how apeshit a week ago was, I figure there's no point in continuing exactly like the story is meant to unfold. So, that means I'm free to do whatever the hell I want. What is happening, Jade Curtis, is that there is a localized gravitational distortion centered around your heart. It's faint enough at the moment, that nothing is obstructed, thought you can probably feel your heart beating harder.

You see, at any moment I can collapse this field, crushing your heart and killing you instantly. Any fonons you gathered would disperse, probably violently, furthering your demise. Should you make one even instance of a move to begin to interrogate Luke, you will die. Quite messily."

That caused everyone to pause.

"Allow me to continue. Now that Arietta is safe, I have no use for any of you save Luke and Tear. Luke, because one, he's my friend, and two, he's needed to bring this story to a close. And Tear, one, because she's Luke's love interest, and I'm not big enough of a bastard to kill his best friend AND his potential girlfriend, and two, because she's _also _needed for plot reasons. Everyone else is simply backup for them. So _do _try not to piss me off? I got lucky when I woke up here, but even I know Lady Luck wont grace me with her beauty for long. Now that I've made the change I needed to make, and corrected a wrong that should never have been written, I'm free to do what I wish."

Noelle stepped up. "Does that include me?"

He turned a tired gaze to her. "Do you want the truth, or what you want to hear?"

"…the truth."

"Yes."

She was surprised. It didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. "…I guess I always knew that."

"Sorry."

"…you are. You _do _like me then."

"Like I said, you're cute. And you tend to form a bond with someone you willingly bump pelvises with. Besides, didn't I tell you I'd planned on helping you out? It'd suck to go back on my word, but…"

"You're not taking any chances."

"You read too much."

"You try to hard."

"Arietta could kick your ass."

Noelle laughed, despite the tears rolling down her cheeks. "**Mieu **could kick my ass. I'm just a normal, remember?"

"Touché."

"Sensei…" Luke cut in.

"Yeah?"

"Why?"

"Elaborate."

"Why all this?"

"Because like Noelle said, I'm not taking any chances."

"…what's supposed to happen?"

"…spoiler tags wont be on Luke."

"Tell me."

"…Arietta dies, you nearly die taking out the Miasma, jewel shows up, Asch fucks off, you all kill Mohs, get Florian, shut down the Planet Storm, prepare, Noelle pulls some fancy flying, Ginji crashes Eldrant into the ground by the power of awesome and suicidal tactics, Asch fucks off again, you guys enter, kill Regret, you fall into the same trap Asch does because you're both idiots, you two fight, you win, he opens the door because **there can only be one**, you meet up with the group, Asch FINALLY grows a pair and reclaims his name, then dies like an idiot.

Natalia flips once you sense Asch giving his remaining essence to you, Van activates a Trap Card, you grab Asch's power, hack the Matrix, activate a COUNTER trap card, blow up the trap, Jade says something about Second Order, Synch shows up, you kill Synch, you deal with some bullshit puzzles, you reach the Obligatory Long Ass RPG Staircase, Van gives a speech, you all give COUNTER speeches, fight, whup Van's ass, Van activates **God Mode Turn On**, starts whupping your asses, Tear sings, Van stops it, Tear sings again, van stops it, Tear sings one more time, Lorelei gives Van the middle finger, Tear activates Replekia-I mean the Grand Hymn, You all whup Van's ass, and when her song ends, you **END **him with a full Synchronization Hyper Charged Lorelei Activated Radiant Howl to his **FACE**.

Everyone gives a goodbye speech because Van was a Load Bearing Boss and Eldrant is falling apart like a proper final dungeon, basically it amounts to them going 'WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF YOU!', Tear whispers she loves you cause she's too pussy to say it to your face and fuck you right then and there. You stab the ground like the badass you are, activate your resonance, Lorelei turns into a girly man, place starts falling apart, he says some shit then departs for the fon belt, you have some sort of bubble protection of Awesome around you, Asch's dead body drops on the bubble like a ragdoll, which made me laugh my ass off, you open the bubble, catch him like a husband catching a jumping bride, which spawned COUNTLESS yaoi fics of you two boffing each other, Nice Job Breaking it Hero.

You start glowing like a deity, Asch's hand twitches, screen fades black, we get a little epilogue, one year later, it's your birfday, everyone's at Tataroo Valley for some reason, they wait, nothing happens, they start leaving, SOMEONE shows up, looks like you but with Asch's stance and long hair again, **JADE FUCKING SMILES**. The end."

Everyone stared.

"What, I beat the friggin game like three times."

"That's…what happens?"

"Ehh…it's the abridged version but pretty much. But since I fucked around with things, and plan on doing more plot fuckery, basically the only things you can count on are fighting Regret, Asch, Synch and Van. Maybe killing Synch, maybe not. Nobody really knows about Asch. I have theories, but until it happens, I'm gonna have to pull a Jade."

Guy spoke up. "You seem pretty calm for a guy who's secrets just got exposed."

"He's not." Arietta stated plainly. Zero glanced over to her.

"His scent is haywire, you can't feel the various amounts of fonons whipping around him…he's going nuts, he's just hiding it very well."

"Oh you little tit-bitch you tapped didn't you?"

"Yep. And you smell. Badly. You Shifted right back didn't you?"

"I told you, I flipped a shit when I realized I left my journal here. Didn't know you'd be able to crack it…damn, I really must have done something to you when I wiped the miasma…"

"I did feel kinda tingly when I woke up, now that I think about it. Still, you stink, go shower. You know I can make you."

"Pfft, only if you join." She blushed slightly, then narrowed her eyes.

"Get moving and I'll think about it."

"…fuck…now see there's a high chance you're bullshitting me…but then again I have to ask myself do I want to ignore the possibility you're not?"

Luke, Guy, Noelle, and Arietta all answered for him at the same time.

"**NO."**

It was then that she noticed a shift. It was subtle, very much so. Even she would admit, if she wasn't fully embracing her "wild side" as Zero called it, she wouldn't have picked up on it. It was a very slight…twitch. Later on, he would explain what she saw would be basically considered a slight jump in pixel count.

She wouldn't get it, but she'd just nod anyway.

But this…shift, was what alerted her to the _true _problem. He'd been spooked. And a spooked Zero is a dangerous Zero. She could just barely sense a trace level of his fonons leaking out, grasping hold of the fonons inside the aircraft, and it hit her; he was prepping himself to attack at a moment's notice.

Her eyes widened slightly, as she understood what was happening. She quickly slipped off the small cabinet she was sitting on and strolled over to Zero, who she noticed, was watching her like a hawk. Suppressing a shudder at the sudden hardness of his gaze, she slipped her arms around him, surprising him further. She _felt_ this time, his body tense. She could feel the fonons beginning to swirl around him, as the very slight bit of his fonons circulating in her, began resonating with him.

"Zero…it's alright. It's me."

Everyone was confused by the event. Zero said nothing, looking down at the girl who had now tilted her head back, to look him in the eyes.

"We're fine. It's really us."

He kept staring.

"Remember? You said it yourself, there's still a lot you don't know about me. Is it really that strange?"

He still stared.

"I haven't been out of your sight for more than twenty minutes since you saved me. And if I have, I haven't been out of your sensory range _ever_ until today. The chances are _way _too slim for anything to have happened in that time, especially since not a minute after you left, Anise came in. **It's me.**"

She could feel him hesitating. She went in for the kill.

"Think about it…if I weren't myself, would I have been able to open that book? Would I have _thought _to try?"

He shook his head, releasing his hold on Jade, and the world around him in the process. As he did, she stepped back. "Fine, fine…wait…if I go, even if I were to fathom the possibility, how the hell would you find me?"

Arietta just stared at him. "Go to Ferris. The big mansion was my private house thing. Facilities work fine, remember? I can have these people drop me off there."

"Shift or normal flight."

"Well if you want to entertain the possibility of me joining you, normal flight."

"Right…" He looked like he wanted to say more, staring at the pink haired girl.

"What?" she responded.

"…nothing." _I can't help but wonder…no…nobody knew who she really was…this…is natural._

She noted his scent suddenly shift, as he relaxed. He gave a small wave and stepped out of the Albiore, a flash of light being their signal of his departure. She sighed softly, realizing what the fluttering in her heart meant. Just after she released her hold on her instincts, Noelle spoke to her, as the elder girl slipped into the pilot seat.

"Nice job, keeping up with him." Everyone turned to her.

"Huh?" The pink haired girl queried.

"We've only spoken in depth twice, but he's…complicated, to follow, sometimes. You have to keep an open mind, kinda think like someone who has no thought, in order to keep up with him. But you pulled it off."

"I've had…some practice. It's actually scary…he and Ion…the original Ion…are a lot alike."

Anise mused. "Are you gonna bite _him _too?" Arietta whirled to her fellow Fon Master Guardian.

"I…" She stared incredulously, before something her mother told her rang in her head. _"That human…the boy who helped you form this place of rest…he is powerful. Very powerful. The world moves around him in a manner I have never seen before, not even the Sacred Flame commanded that much respect from this world. He has earned his strength…if you are to be his mate, mark him immediately. A being like him…human, animal, it doesn't matter, they are very rare to appear in this world…and anyone linked to them, while in danger, will also be protected fiercely. Mark him, my child. Claim him as yours, before another does. I smell the scent of another female upon him, but it is faint, not tied to his. He has not yet been claimed, but there is a strong possibility."_

"Hmph…maybe I will." She stated, buckling herself in, as Noelle started the engines.

"After all, a girl's gotta mark her mate, right?"

Luke chuckled, then turned serious. "That's good but…what was that?"

"That…he's tired. Very much so." She spoke while staring off into space.

"And he's…scared. Going from what I read, and from how he acts around me, he's afraid of losing me. Not…relationship wise…but physically. He worked so hard…did so much…to make sure I would live, and he's afraid of something happening to me. You've got to understand, his mind is _very _open to possibility, to the point where you could say something was real, and he'd fathom it."

Anise blinked. "That…doesn't really say much."

"He wasn't expecting me to flirt with him. Going by what was written, and from what I could gather that he knows, to him, it's too soon for me to flirt with him. If I'm right, he expects maybe a bit of awe, maybe some pack loyalty because he saved my life, but to even hint at returning his feelings, which before now were hidden, was a near impossibility."

Luke nodded slightly, starting to understand what she was getting at.

"So he thought, if only for a second, you were a fake."

She nodded. "Obviously he knows about the fomicry machines around, and obviously he knows things we don't, but how much, we don't know. To him, because I was flirting at a time he didn't expect it to happen, and because he knows its possible to copy people down to the very exact fonon pattern, it must have caused him to think I was a replica. And if _I _was a replica, then any one of you could have been, and if that was the case, then he'd failed, and if he'd failed, he'd have no use for false versions of us."

Natalia paled. "…he was going to kill us wasn't he?"

Arietta sighed. "Probably. Separate, we're all reasonably strong fighters. Combined, well…you guys have beaten insane odds. And Luke alone is…what did he call him? Oh right, a 'Walking Atom Smasher.' So he knows how dangerous we can be, especially if we aren't…well, us."

"He's very unstable, isn't he?"

Luke snorted. "You would be too if you _know _you died, woke up in a world that was just a story to you, then spent eight years in solitude, all to save the life of a girl who may or may not give a crap about you in the long run, because you give a crap about her, even though originally to you she was just a fictional character. On top of that, having to hold back everything so you can make sure stuff goes the same, even if you don't want certain things to? Yeah, I can see why he's messed up."

Arietta added to that. "I don't think he's been sleeping much lately either. He's always awake when I go to bed, and already up before I am. So if he _is _sleeping, he's not doing much of it."

Anise nodded. "On top of that, there was fighting us, saving you, doing that thingie to get to the Tower of Rem, fighting that Miasma Dragon, doing whatever, then having his heart almost broken when he brought you to Florian, then outflying us, before doing that thingie again, and then probably doing it _again _to get back, only to find out all of his personal secrets were wide open."

Guy followed. "So that's two counts of unimaginable mental fatigue, combined with a possible count of physical fatigue…yeah, definitely not surprising."

Tear was next. "On top of all that, there's what he knows that we don't. so he'd be further stressed about something that can happen in the future."

"Or maybe…" Natalia began, surprising even herself by speaking in a worried tone. "It's not what he _knows_…but what he **doesn't **know. He's been pulling our strings all this time, with Luke being the only one with any hint as to why…he knew what was to happen, how, and when. But now, he's made that one change that could possibly shake everything apart, and he's uncertain, and as such, very jumpy."

"I know because it is my duty to know, it is my purpose." Jade spoke. "He'd been using that line from the beginning…but now we're in uncharted territory…so he's taking no chances."

Anise had figured it out. "It's simple…isn't it?" Everyone looked at her.

"He did all this for Arietta, and some of it for Luke, but mostly for Arietta. She's why he didn't bother just taking over this place, when obviously he could have easily _erased _Van from the picture. We want him relaxed and stable? We keep Arietta safe, we take out Van when he comes back, we save the world like we're already intending to, and then we won't have any problems."

Luke smiled. "Sounds like a plan then."

Guy wasn't as sure. "You think it'll be that simple?"

Luke simply smirked. "Remember? He said only two people were _needed _to finish this story of ours. Me, and Tear."

Everyone blinked at him, surprised he'd be as callus to say that…and that's when his smirk turned into a smile.

"Since only _two_ of us are **needed**, since there's way more than two, then we've definitely got this in the bag, right?"

Guy snorted and shook his head. "Only you would come up with something like that Luke…"

* * *

Zero was flying towards Ferris Island, when suddenly he blinked.

"OH MOTHER FUCKER I FORGOT MY DAMN JOURNAL AGAIN!"

* * *

The book in her hands began to vibrate. She looked at it for a moment, before a voice rang in her ears.

"**OH MOTHER FUCKER I FORGOT MY DAMN JOURNAL AGAIN!**"

Their journey to drop her off was filled with laughter, as she explained what just happened.

* * *

**A/N:** and there we have it. The origin of Zero, the reason behind his godlike skills, and more insight to his persona, and methods. Some of you may have seen this coming. Others, this is a surprise, a cliché, but a surprise. And still others just won't care, logging it as just another incarnation of Zero Shinzaki.

This just goes to show, as calm, collected, and in control as he is, Zero is still a person, and one in love at that. Matters of the heart…while he may be an expert at understanding them, even he knows he can be powerless against their hold.

Now that all this information has been released, there will be changes brought by him. No longer does he have to hold back in fear of changing the world in a way he can't control to save Arietta. Her life is almost perfectly secure, and now he can relax.

In a sense.

Karndragon: I believe you'll find _this _chapter to be just as, if not _more _interesting. And you're quite welcome.


	7. Bounty

The past few days had been unpleasant for Luke. He and the others returned to Baticul after dropping Arietta off at Ferres, and decided to enter the new group arena matches.

While the battles themselves were easy, it was other things, that were causing problems. Natalia had told her father, the King, of what Zero had done to her. Obviously, the King was furious, and Luke would find out two days later that the enigmatic youth now had a bounty on his head for his kill or capture.

It took all of his will not to slap her right then and there, and he said as such, to her shock. The young man was his tutor, his mentor, his teacher, his friend, and dare he say it, his brother in all but blood. And even though she knew of his unimaginable strength and skill, she still allowed her father to essentially sent countless people, most possibly very fine people with families of their own, to their deaths.

It was on the third day, the day after Luke himself found out about the bounty, that he had gathered the party to try to convince the King to drop it. Not just out of respect for Zero, but out of worry of the countless lives that would no doubt be lost as they tried to claim it.

"Uncle, please you have to-

_**Luuuuuuke. Oh Luuuuuuuuuke.**_

"Well…shit…" Everyone gave pause as Luke suddenly clutched his head in the middle of his plea, and blinked as he cursed randomly.

_Yes…sensei?_

_**Oh good you're listening. Luke…why do I have a bounty for One-Hundred Thousand Gald on my head for my death or capture?**_

Well, this wasn't going to be good, he thought. _…because Natalia told the king about you making her barren._

There was a strange noise, as if he were humming inside his own mind. _**I see. I suppose she didn't bother to tell the whole story then.**_

_I don't think she did, Sensei. I've been trying to get Uncle to listen but…Natalia must have turned on the water-works for this one._

_**Very well…looks like I'll have to do this myself then. I presume you're at the Castle?**_

_Yes sensei…King Peony is also here, he too wanted to inquire in person about your bounty, especially since apparently he considers you part of his kingdom._

_**He does? Huh…weird guy, but I guess it makes sense. Anyway, we'll talk later, I'll be there in a few minutes.**_

"…uk…uke…luke…Luke! Luke!"

Luke blinked, shaking his head as the connection faded. He noticed his Uncle had been calling his name.

"What?"

"What's wrong with you boy? You suddenly stopped speaking nor paying attention!"

"Zero is on his way."

That gave them all pause. "What makes you say this?" The King asked.

"He just told me."

"What? How could he have-

"The same way Asch contacts me, Uncle. Zero has learned how to wield the Seventh Fonon to connect directly into my mind through my fon-slots. He doesn't do it very often, only when something is important, unlike Asch who does it when he pleases. He is coming to make his case, and Uncle, you _will _listen."

With a raised eyebrow the King responded. "I don't think you are in any position to tell me what to do Luke."

Luke sighed. "You'll listen if you want this castle…no, this entire _kingdom, _to remain standing past today."

"What are you saying Luke? And mind your words."

"It wouldn't be me Uncle. Zero is _very _powerful. He's capable of feats that even Jade himself cannot do. It's like the world bends to his will, as he desires it. I've no doubt that it would be child's play for him to wipe this kingdom off the planet. He may be my sensei, and he may hold his actions for a time for my sake, but even so, if it's a threat to him, or who he cares about, it gets erased, no questions asked. But no, it is not my story to tell. He is near, and you will find out yourself Uncle. All I can ask is that you listen, because he does not take willing ignorance lightly."

**BOOM**

The doors to the throne room crashed open. Not broken, but blown wide open. Two figures walked in, Zero, leading, and Arietta behind him slightly.

"Sensei."

Zero said nothing, striding over to where Luke stood. The guards at the sides of the throne room readied their weapons, in case of need, but Zero paid it no heed. He slowed his stride as he neared Luke, allowing Arietta to catch up to him. She looked back at him as he stepped back, gently placing a hand on her back, before gesturing at the floor. For a moment, she thought he wanted her to sit…when a small rumbling filled the room.

Before everyone's eyes, the floor buckled and warped under where he was holding his palm. From the ground rose a plain stone chair, forming from the very castle itself. Eyes widened in shock as the event occurred, none ever heard or seen of anything like this happening before. He gently guided Arietta to the chair that had appeared next to Luke, before waving his hand again, this time a slight green glow appearing.

There was a small distortion, a weak haze, for a moment, before he nodded to himself, placing a hand on the girl's shoulder, indicating silently for her to sit. She did so and her eyes opened further in surprise. The chair was actually soft. He had created a cushion of air for her to sit on. She offered him a smile, which he returned, if only slightly.

"Chair, brother Luke?" Luke just stared in shock, before slowly shaking his head. He was fine standing.

"A pillar, to lean on then?"

Luke blinked. "Uhh, no. But thank you, Sensei."

"Suit yourself then."

Zero strolled to the center of the throne room, and pointed his palm at the floor again. Another rumbling, this time accompanied by distorted waves emitting over the ground. A small circle appeared on the carpet, the area within shredding to pieces before an earthen pillar slowly rose from the floor. He watched it rise to the ceiling, before nodding. The ground stopped rumbling, and he casually leaned on it while staring at the King.

Natalia was freaking out inside her mind. She wanted revenge on the youth, for taking away her chances to make a family of her own, ignoring that she caused it herself…but now, witnessing his casual display of power, to do what no man, no person, had ever done before…

She wondered if maybe she was indeed, being a fool.

_I thought Luke said something about needing to be in a specific state to wield fonons so effortlessly…?_

"Hail, and well met, Emperor Peony."

"The same, Zero. Though I wish it had been under better circumstances."

"Indeed. Before we get started, may I ask upon Alicia's status?"

Peony had to think about that for a moment, before the information came to him. "Ahh yes, the girl from the item shop right? She misses you dearly. Every now and then she comes to see me and ask if I've heard from you. I do believe you have a fan."

"That tends to happen when you save a person's life. I'll have to go visit her then…very well, down to business."

"King Ingobert, while I have gotten much information from Luke, I ask you. Why is there a bounty on my head for One-Hundred Thousand Gald?"

Deciding to school his emotions, and simply answer the boy before him, he responded. "Due to your crimes against the kingdom, through my Daughter."

"Indeed? I take it she told you of my turning her barren then?" Peony blinked at that.

"Wait you did what?!"

Zero continued on, as if he didn't hear them.

"I also take it she did not tell you _why_."

The Kimlascan Monarch grew irritated at that. "Why? The why does not matter! You-

"**The why **does matter." Zero cut the king off. "In fact it is the why that is the reason for _all _action, is it not? It is the _why _that lead you to place a bounty on my head, and subsequently condemn countless fools to their deaths as they dared try to attack me. It is the _why _that lead me to come here and seek diplomacy, rather than simply **erase **this place from the face of Auldrant. The _why _is that your daughter, performed the crime that lead to me taking the course of action I did."

"And what pray tell crime was this?!"

"She broke the terms of a sanctioned and mediated duel."

That gave the king pause. "She…what?"

"Roughly a week and a half ago, she was present for a sanctioned and mediated duel between two parties. The terms of the duel were battle until one side falls defeated, however no death was to be brought. She was not part of this battle, and alongside Luke, was merely a spectator. However, she took it upon herself to 'assist' her allies and attempt to bring death upon the opposing side, of which leader was my dear Arietta."

The king's eyes narrowed. "Explain."

"She notched her bow, and let fly an arrow straight for Arietta's head. Had I not noticed her actions, the girl would be dead, and your kingdom would be lost, for I would no longer have tie to this world, and no reason to allow any of its inhabitants to continue existing. Your daughter not only broke the terms of a duel of which she had no part in, but endangered the lives of every being on this planet. In retaliation, I removed from her what made her a woman, rather than giving her to the loving embrace of death. Although now I seem to have made a mistake."

The king nodded, surprised the boy was speaking words of repent.

"I should have just killed her and been done with it. After all, it was death she sought, therefore it _should _have been death she wrought."

Ingobert's eyes hardened. "This is twice now, that you have threatened my kingdom. And now you speak of slaying my daughter so casually?!"

"Am I to believe you are going to ignore my words? Are you going to ignore the fact that we have a hall filled with witnesses to the act, both hers and mine? Are you going to simply brush away the crime your daughter committed, and focus solely on the one who enacted justice upon her? Am I to believe that you would be so foolishly corrupt, as to blatantly deny that which is truth?"

"I have had enough of your foolish insinuations! Guards! Seize him!"

Zero simply sighed and gently stepped away from the pillar as every armored man in the room readied their weapons and charged at him. He did naught but raise his right hand, and snap his fingers…before everyone who moved was suddenly dropping to their knees.

"What are you all doing?!"

"Dying, that's what."

The two kings, along with everyone else, snapped their heads towards Zero. He casually leaned back against the pillar of his own make, as the guards armor rattled as their bodies shuddered uncontrollably. A massive pressure had washed over them all, and they were forced on all fours…before the groaning started.

As the pressure around them localized entirely to their bodies, they found themselves able to stand…but they were clutching themselves. Some were holding their heads, others, their torsos, still others arms or legs.

And then one of them screamed. He screamed as if being tortured…

And then exploded in a spray of blood.

Another scream, and another, and another. All those who were within armor loosed their death cries, as their bodies erupted in waves of blood and metal, the armor falling to the ground, life essence dripping from its insides.

The hall was silent, save for the pitter patter of life liquid dripping to the ground.

Zero broke the silence, by holding out a strange stone.

"This, is a recording crystal. I've had it activated since the moment I walked into this room. Due to it being an…interesting…collection of fonons I grafted together myself, I can re-play any vocal patterns captured within it, through any medium I desire. It is still recording as I speak, in fact. King Ingobert, Monarch of the Kingdom of Kimlasca-Landvaldear, your words, your ignorance of the truth, has been captured upon this device.

Should you decide to continue on your current course of action, your words will be heard by the entire world, as justification before I decide to erase your kingdom, and the foolishness within. If you are to ignore the crime your daughter committed, and allow her to go unpunished for breaking an age old rule that she was fully made aware of before she acted, then you have declared yourself corrupt, and unfit to be king. And by proxy, you have declared your kingdom to be one of liars, and untrustworthy fools. Therefore, you have declared your kingdom to be open season, for all who wish justice upon the world. As such, you have _also _declared that everything you have said in the past, can be taken as words of a liar, and are not to be trusted. And to go further, you have therefore claimed that your kingdom is to be waged war upon.

And since that means you are a threat to _me, _your majesty, that means that as a life form of free will and with right to live, I have every right to assist the warring states against you, and **erase **your kingdom from the planet. So, King Ingobert, the next move, is yours. Choose your actions carefully."

The thin crystal hovered over Zero's palm, as he spoke. The king stared at him, wanting to ignore the boy's words…but he spoke truth. Even if that Device didn't do what he claimed, his nephew's group, along with the Emperor of Malkuth were present, and even if he could declare that group enemies of the state, he couldn't go against Malkuth without once again entering a pointless war.

"All this…because of my daughter…?" He whispered.

"I'm going to do something I don't usually do." Zero spoke. "In fact I already have the feeling I'm going to regret it."

He sighed, and continued. "I don't like your daughter. I never have, and I never will. She…rubs me the wrong way, so to speak. However, as much as I would have liked to torture the bitch just for existing, the fact that Luke cares for her, whatever amount he does, has stayed my hand. However I warned him, and I warned her, that day, that should she fight against me, for yes, I was on Arietta's side during that duel, she would die. Yes, I was willing to break the terms for my own gain, her existence irritating me thus. After all, nobody has managed to do what I have done, when it comes to fonons. Nobody is my equal here, although I'm attempting to remedy that. If I wanted, I could take over this world without a sweat. But that's not my point.

My point is, I gave her warning, and she _chose _to ignore it. She did it without Luke's knowing, though I'm going to have to drill it into his head to pay attention to _everyone_, because emotions can lead to betrayal. She made her choice, and in turn, forced my hand. Being the only one who can easily **decimate **your nephew's group, it fell upon me to enact justice, for I couldn't bring her to either Monarch for it, and Daath has proven far too unstable as of late."

Peony used this chance to get a word in. "You didn't think you could trust me?"

"It's no offence to you, Emperor. It's that I know you both have been riding on this group to battle and end the machinations of Van Grants, and the corruption of Daath. If I brought her to you, her sentence would most likely be delayed, so she could perform what you believed her needed to be done. Not to mention, it would possibly lead to people viewing Malkuth as having attacked the status of Kimlasca, leading to war again. If I brought her to Kimlasca for judgment, it's possible they would have either done the same, or ignored it period, considering that at the time, Arietta was still affiliated with Daath, which by then had shown itself to be rather untrustworthy.

Therefore Natalia's actions would have been taken as an attempt at securing peace, by assassinating one of Daath's most powerful components, a God General. Which means not only would she likely get away with her crime of breaking the terms of a sanctioned duel, in the end, she would be praised for it."

Everyone stared at him. The two emperors ran the scenario through their minds, and found things matching up exactly as he said.

"How…" Ingobert started. "How is it…that you have so quickly come to that conclusion?"

"Pfft, I thought about it before I even started the fight. I am a being of **possibility**. Scenarios like that play out in my head damn near every second of the day. Hell, I came up with three different plans on dealing with this bounty situation, depending on your reactions. And those were just the _solid _ones. A true leader has to know how to swap plans and actions on the fly, how to adjust things at a moment's notice. And in order to do that, one has to know how to think, how to _see_. I came in this castle today, fully prepared to wipe this kingdom off the face of the planet, for one reason or another. I've already completed my goal, so there is literally no need for anyone else to exist.

But a world without people would be boring, so there's no point to me just off and wiping everyone either. So the way I see it, I leave them alone, they leave me alone, everyone's happy. Make a move against me, I'll see the root and take it out, even if it means wiping entire cities. Only one person in this world truly matters to me. The other people I hold dear are close, but not held as tightly as she. And should anything happen to her, I will find those responsible, and make them **beg **for death's embrace. And then I will find those responsible for _them _and do even _worse_. Everything that happens, happens for a reason, but that reason is not due to some prophetic force, it is due to the actions of others. Every decision made, comes on the tails of other decisions. Every event, occurs due to another event triggering it. These links, these ripples, these chains, all create the phenomenon we call **life**. And I have learned to follow these links, travel these chains, and watch these ripples become waves. And to be honest? I love doing it.

I love seeing how things unfold, whether they succeed or fail, I love watching things _happen_. It doesn't matter if I'm the cause, or if someone else is, I love watching plans unfold, collapse, and change, all within a matter of seconds. Its **chaos**, and I love seeing it. But I understand that not many can see the world as I do, and it is fine, it's their eyes, their life, not mine. But it is…an instinct…of mine, to watch others. You never know when you're going to pass by the next mass murderer, or the next creator of a spell possible of reverting time, or the next greatest musician."

Arietta smiled at the _passion _in his voice, as he spoke.

"You'd be surprised." She said, startling everyone, including Zero. "He's rarely ever passionate about anything, but if there's one thing I've learned about him, it's to expect the unexpected. He does things because he feels like it, not because of some sense of duty or someone's demands. He…understands life on a level that no living being thus far, at least that _I've _met, has even fathomed. Did you know, your majesty, that Fate had decreed I die that day? Be it by the hands of your daughter, the hands of Anise and her friends, or by the Miasma that was within my body for the past almost-year."

"I…did not."

"None did, not even myself." She stood from her chair, and slowly walked to Zero's side, before slipping her arms around his waist.

"He defied Fate for me. He _denied _Her desire. He saved my life on Mt. Roneal, even though chances were that my animal allies were already moving. He stopped me from not clarifying the duel terms, and did so for me. He protected me in that battle, laying waste to those he'd once called allies, in my name. He blocked your daughter's arrow, taking it in the chest, just under his heart, where it was aimed for my head…"

She looked up at Zero, almost lovingly.

"And he saved me from the poison that was within me for so long that it had grafted to my very blood. He, and your Nephew wielded the most unknown of powers, the Hyperresonance, and _erased _the miasma within my body. Each time, Fate had decreed I was to die, he rejected Her will. All because of an uncertain chance…all because of one emotion, one desire, that he was willing to see unfulfilled if only it meant I lived. He has trained, for years, almost a decade. He has mastered the world in ways we could only imagine, and he's willing to share his secrets with those he finds worthy. Can you really say you're willing to allow stand a decree that would not only put his life in danger, the life of a man who has protected, defended, befriended and assisted your Nephew through this past year, but the very people who would attack him?"

"He…has committed a crime however. He has slain members of the kingdom."

Arietta shook her head. "But it was _you _who made that command. Not only that…" She looked at Zero again, before speaking. "They made the choice to follow it on their own. In essence, they decided for themselves, to attack him. And any who attack him, meet their end, regardless of who they are. It would be like condemning a man for slaying a bandit, who was on the verge of violating his daughter's purity. It would be as if you invaded Malkuth, found your armies decimated, and then blamed them for the loss of life on your side, when _you _were the one who attacked first. It would be as if you set a bounty on Luke's head, and he slew all who came to claim it, and then blamed him for their deaths, when they sought him out with the intent to kill him. Should one not match killing intent with killing intent? Or have you humans grown so full of yourselves that you believe you all to be beyond the rules of life?"

"WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET SO SMART?!" Anise yelled.

Arietta frowned. "I've always been smart, Anise. It just wasn't until recently did I have a _reason _to think properly. Or did you forget the lie I've lived for so long?"

Anise bowed her head. "You…have a point."

"Back to the matter at hand." Zero stated. "You can keep the bounty on me if you want, but be prepared to find multiple cities turned into craters if you do. And don't be surprised to wake up dead, if you decide not to punish Natalia for **her **crimes as well. Or, you can remove it, and I stop giving a crap about what you do with her."

"Again, you threaten-

"No, Uncle. He threatens nobody." Luke finally had enough. "He's telling you what will happen, depending on what _you _decide to do. Knowing him, if the bounty stays, it means that you have declared war against him. And if you do that, it's entirely within his right to slay any who raise arms against him, or might pose a threat. You don't win a war by standing around and letting things come to you, you win by taking initiative, striking before the enemy forces can properly mobilize, decimate their supplies and ration sources, and make as many maneuvers as you can to place yourself in a favorable position over them.

I tried to warn you that you were making a mistake, placing a bounty on his head. And now that you know _why _he did what he did, you have a chance to right it. And if you don't, you'll be condemning _everyone _to death. Yes, even the people of Malkuth. What, you didn't think that some from Malkuth would want the bounty?"

"Desperate people will do desperate things." Jade added. "If one wanted the money badly enough, and on top of that very few know who Zero Shinzaki is, they would take up arms and lead themselves to death. And I can say from experience, he holds no quarter to those who bear arms against him."

All had made good points…but surprising them all, it was Natalia who spoke next.

"Father…I think you should remove the bounty."

"Hello." Zero said randomly.

"I…he…he is right. I am a fool. I wanted revenge for what he did…I wanted…I wanted to stop all this madness, I wanted to stop that pointless battle…but…I…ignored her reasons. I ignored her desires and feelings…and I ignored his loyalty. We'd…never truly trusted him Father. He seemed far too unstable, far to unwieldly. And yet…when it came to Luke, he rarely ever steered him wrong. In fact it was he who defended Luke's name, after Akzeriuth, when we were ready to cast blame upon him for destroying the town. It was Zero, who made it clear that Luke was not the source of the destruction, he was only the method in which it was brought. It was He who brought Luke victory over…over Asch…when we reached Yulia City. It was He who taught Luke proper fonon manipulation…it was He who helped us defeat that horrible monstrosity created by the Miasma gathering at the Tower of Rem.

I have…no doubt that he would make good on his word, Father. I…I don't want any more lives pointlessly lost. As it is…I'll have nightmares of guilt over causing this situation which sent good men to their deaths because of my foolishness…"

A whirring sound accompanied that statement. Immediately heads turned to Zero, who was holding arm outstretched, red ring around his wrist. Natalia's eyes widened as she recalled that device, once again pointed at her. She shrieked in fear as the rainbow streams crashed into her body once again…but she felt no pain.

The device faded from his wrist, and Zero gave a strange look.

"Huh…well…there goes that thought."

"Zero! What the hell-

"Hey, she grew a **brain **out of nowhere. I thought she might have been a fake."

That shut Luke up. "…he has a point. That was…uncharacteristically mature of you, Natalia."

"Well, since that pulse was specifically tailored to wiping clones, and nothing's happening to her, she's real. Which is really unexpected."

Luke sighed. "Next time warn us before you do something like that."

"Are you daft man? And give the target a chance to dodge? That's it, you're getting drills later."

"Oh…bloody hell." Luke cried. "Come on man we just got through a bunch of fights in the Arena."

"Wait the Arena's open?"

"Yeah…why?"

"What the crispy-shit am I doing with you morons then?! I could be finally getting a bloody challenge!"

And seek a challenge he did.

Before any could stop him, he'd immediately wrenched himself from Arietta's grasp, sending the surprised girl to the floor, where she blinked for a moment before sitting up with a huff of irritation, and fixing a glare upon Luke.

"Great, now he's in 'ass kick' mode. Thanks a lot, I was just finally getting to hold him properly."

* * *

The group sat in the King's Box, a specially reserved set of seats for when the King himself decided to watch the arena's events.

With them was a surprised Noelle, claiming that Zero had grabbed her from her shopping and said he had a surprise for her.

The surprise was watching him at work, outside of having truth thrown in her face, something she was glad to finally see.

They watched with amazement, especially Ingobert, as Zero decimated all who stood before him. Captured criminals were dispatched with single waves of razor sharp wind, rabid ligers were taken down with walls and claws of stone, all manner of feathered avian were dealt with through spears of rapidly flung ice…

They watched as he weaved fonons like never seen before, chaining spells faster than even the best mages, linking techniques flawlessly…

It was the first time he could pretty much go all out, without there being some sort of horrible danger or plan or otherwise event that restrained him or caused him to have to focus on a certain aspect of battle.

And he was loving it.

A flick of the wrist and a blade of crackling yellow electricity shot down from the sky, a maneuver thought foolish by the king, as the targets were a group of bats with a heavy amount of wind resistance…

His eyes widened in surprise, as the blade not only cleaved cleanly through the single giant bat it had fallen upon, but the arcs of lightning actually _fried _the bats around its detonation radius. It was then explained to him that Zero had mastered fonic manipulation so much, that he could replicate electrical spells, only with an _Earth _origin, rather than Wind.

A solid glowing sword of blue light cleaved the legs off of a giant turtle, before a blast of fire engulfed it, turning into a whirlwind of flame. As that happened, a literal fist of earth erupted from the ground underneath a giant spiked lizard, sending it into the air, where its ascension was halted by him slamming his foot into the ground, almost resembling a petulant child. While his maneuver was comical to some, the smiles turned into gaping mouths as a literal boot encased leg of solid ice materialized in seconds, crashing into the chest of the lizard, sending it rocketing back to the ground, where it bounced back up from the force, before another foot crashed into it once more.

A cry of "WEAK", and a forceful thrust of his palm, and a shockwave of neigh invisible force rippled through the air, before impacting the lizard and sending it crashing into the far arena wall, where it was riddled with glowing blue swords, which then detonated in a wall of blue flame.

The arena was silent for a few moments. That was the last monster to appear. Suddenly, a man roared in approval, followed by the rest of the crowd. The crowd was large, hearing that the very man with a bounty on his head had not only been brazen enough to enter the kingdom that had posted it, but the deadly arena as well, and _slaughtered _everything.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! OUR CHALLENGER, ZERO SHINZAKI!"

Another roar of approval.

"This warrior from nowhere has appeared and _decimated _our arena with displays of skill of that I've never seen before! Ladies and Gentlemen we have our new Cha-

"Wait just a moment please." The King interrupted the M.C. The crowd silenced itself, as he stood calmly.

"Before we present him as Champion, there is one last battle I would have him face. It is his decision, however, to take this final challenge or not."

Zero's response? "Pfft, bring it."

The king nodded to the Arena Master, the one behind the organization of the challenges. The man smiled with glee, eager to see his ultimate creation in battle.

A heavy roar ripped from the monster cages, as one hidden wall of the arena opened. Out stomped a large golden dragon, easily dwarfing Zero. Immediately the M.C. fled to the designated waiting area, magically protected to ensure his survival.

Zero just stared at the giant beast, golden scales glinting with the light of the sun, glaring red eyes staring at the human before it. He took in its razor sharp claws, the angled horns on its head and tail. Its arms and legs were bulky with muscles obviously made to crush anything in its grasp. The way its tail lashed back and forth showed signs of intelligence, waiting to attempt to capture its foe in an unseen trap.

But it wasn't any of those things, nor the way the M.C. paled like a ghost, when the dragon appeared, nor the sudden hush of the crowd after a simultaneous intake of breath.

No…it was the feeling coming from the dragon.

_Something…isn't right here._

* * *

Immediately Arietta began snarling. Some of the spectators' heads snapped to the direction of the King's Box when the girl began emitting a heavy level of killing intent, her own bestial nature coming out from its bound state upon the revelation of the golden beast.

"What" she growled, glaring at Ingobert with eyes that promised death after an eternity of pain. "the **FUC**K is that thing?!"

Luke's mind started racing. For Arietta to suddenly tap into her full potential means that something existed that set off her instincts and consider her life in danger.

"Arietta, what's wrong?" He asked, the first to overcome her radiating killer intent.

"What's wrong?!" She cried, locking her glare upon him. It was a testament to his growing will, forged through Zero's constant beating of his self-deprecation out of him, that he didn't flinch. "That **thing **is what's wrong! That **thing **is an abomination! What the **FUCK **is it?!" She directed her growled question to the king once again.

His eyes narrowed. This was an unexpected reaction. "It is my Arena Master's greatest creation. Thus far, no warrior has even landed a scratch on it."

"Well it's **pissing me off!** I don't know what the hell is going on but I can't stop feeling like I should either be running for the hills or getting ready to die tearing that thing to shreds!" Was the pinkette's response.

Anise pieced together what may have been going on. Arietta was extremely sensitive to the existence of natural creatures. She only got this way before, when that Miasma Dragon was around. _Which means that 'creation' isn't just a random phrase. She called it an abomination, so it's not a natural born creature._

"Hey, Gloomietta? That thing's not natural is it?"

"No, it's not. And it's _**really **_pissing me off just by existing!"

Any further dialogue was cut off by the crowd giving a roar of approval as the battle below began.

* * *

_Alright…dragons are tough enough on their own. Don't remember there being a Gold one in this world…there was one on Tethe'alla and a black one on Derris Kharlan, but not on Auldrant. So…this is gonna be entirely new._

_K, defense check. It's gold, and gold is usually reserved for those of the earth element._

Nodding to himself, his body glowed green as he quickly gathered the fonons in a pattern required for a Turbulence spell. As a heavy gale of wind whipped around the beast, the dragon folded its massive wings in front of it, before whipping them outward, cancelling the spell.

_Ok…that was unexpected. Maybe something stronger…_

He raised his arm over his head, grasping hold of the fonons around the dragon. Whipping it around in a small spiral, the crowd watched as the air turned a slight greenish tint around the dragon, before a massive tornado ripped into place. Once again, the spell was cancelled by the dragon's wings.

_That's annoying…didn't seem to do much except irritate it. Alright, maybe the color indicates its weakness then._

Diving out of the way of a claw coming down upon him, he glowed a faint golden as he put some space between him and the dragon. Everyone gasped as a giant glowing yellow broadsword appeared in the air above him, and crashed down upon the dragon in an explosion of earthen fonons.

As the dust and energy particles cleared, Zero's eyes narrowed as nary a scratch was upon the beast's scales.

He rolled to the side, evading a lash from the dragon's tail, before spinning his arm in place, creating a disk of flame, hurling it at the beast. The flames washed over the dragon like a blanket, but nothing came of it.

Walls of ice, spears of darkness, rays of light, every conceivable element he could wield was thrown at the dragon. And not a single one pierced its hide. Even dropping a ball of magma on the beast did nothing, nor did attempting to bind it with roots that ripped from the ground beneath it. Its claws cut through, as its scales protected it from the heat.

Something was off about this dragon, and Zero was having a hell of a time figuring out what. Not wanting to resort to his eyes just yet, he decided to try one last thing.

He closed his eyes and focused, not noticing as the dragon suddenly seemed to glow a faint grey, before it vanished. As he tapped into the seventh fonon, ready to try to blast the thing to bits through Sound, he heard his name cried out by his love. His eyes snapped open, concentration broken, just to see a massive claw come crashing down on his body.

* * *

Gasps were heard all around, as the boy vanished under the beasts claw. A massive pillar of dust rose to the air upon impact. Arietta's eyes widened, as her instincts translated the dragon's roar, as a cry of triumph. Yet another human had fallen under its power.

Immediately she turned a glare back to the king.

"That, wasn't natural. What **is **that thing?!"

"It is a dragon with power over time itself. Its scales protect it from almost all elements, and its own power allows it to move at almost incalculable speeds. Its brain is programmed to be loyal to my command, as long as we keep it fed. There is a gem, embedded within its heart, that will kill it should it try to move against us. This gem is the only thing its power cannot manipulate." He said.

"F-father…you…he…"

"It would seem…" He spoke without emotion. "That Mister Shinzaki was not as powerful as you all thought."

"Hah." Everyone, even the spectators turned to the sudden laugh. "Haha. Hahahaha! Hahahahaha! **AAAHAHAHAHAHA**!" Arietta suddenly began laughing hysterically, her knowledge of the man who saved her life overriding her instinctive fear of his end.

"Ahh…that's funny. No, foolish human." The bestial aura was back…and like against the Miasma Dragon, a single ethereal tail was lashing about behind the girl, who had stood to better view the arena.

"My Zero is not dead."

Not enjoying being laughed at, the King responded with irritation. "And what makes you so sure?!"

"Because my Zero…is a **God.**"

(BGM: Bayonetta – You May Call Me Father)

As if to punctuate her statement, the dragon was suddenly blown back as a massive prismatic flare of light erupted from beneath its paw. The dragon's wings fanned out, catching its fall, and flapped heavily, slowing its descent to the ground, as the shimmering light took the form of six radiant wings coming from Zero's back.

"Holy shit!" Emperor Peony yelled out. His surprise at seeing Zero's transformed state was mirrored by everyone else present, most especially King Ingobert himself.

* * *

"**Y'know…I was trying to be fair about this. I was gonna play nice, and beat you with this world's natural rules. But nooo, you had to go and cheat didn't you? Well guess what? I'm a better cheater than you are."**

Silence had met Zero's statement, which brought a serene smile to Noelle's face, as she caught the double meaning behind his words, even if he didn't intend it.

It wasn't her fault really, he'd just been talking with her too much. She'd been corrupted to think like he does. Honestly, it made life more fun.

The silence was broken as a single voice pierced the winds.

"ZERO! I WANT THAT FUCKER'S HEAD ON MY WALL!"

Giving a random thumbs up to Arietta's general direction, Zero glowed a radiant gold once again.

The dragon snorted…but what came surprised everyone but Arietta. Instead of a simple earth attack, the ground rumbled and buckled, as ripples began forming underneath where Zero's silver wings were holding him aloft. In seconds, fissures appeared in the arena floor, as pillars of grain; spires of sand ripped from the ground.

Everyone gasped in shock as these pillars became massive tendrils, which formed around the dragon into two gigantic hands. The two hands grasped onto the dragons wings, as Zero's hands formed into fists, clutching air. He pulled, straining, as if he were the one pulling the dragon's wings. The beast screeched in pain as the floating arms pulled on its wings, until, in a spray of blood, both of them were ripped off.

It stumbled around, blinded by a haze of pain and anger, before a golden light appeared within its maw, a massive sphere of energy being loosed directly towards the angelic Zero.

It didn't, however, expect its attack to be batted back at it with a casual wave of the hand. The beast gave another horrid screech in agony as its own power cut through its scales. What happened to the puny human?! It thought. What manner of ungodly predator has replaced it?! Blinded by its pain was it so, it didn't notice the ripple of air appearing before it, as Zero slammed a glowing fist into its torso, after dipping down below it.

"**SHISHISENKOU!"**

A massive image of a lion's head ripped from his fist, propelling the now surprised dragon into the air. The creature was thrown high enough for the entire arena to make out each scale on its body, before their attention was brought back to Zero, as the ground beneath him crumbled to give way to massive roots that ripped from the earth and reached above the dragon, before forming a palm that smacked it on the back, knocking it back towards the ground, where Zero casually floated to the side as a **massive **pillar of ice ripped through the air, punching it back towards the heavens.

A shimmering light around Zero's fist brought the crowd's attention back to him. He was on the ground, wings still out but his fist was what captured their eyes.

"**TENSHOUHA!"** (Amaterasu Command)

He punched the ground, and a massive ray of light shot from the sky and engulfed him, and since he was below the dragon, the beast was enveloped by searing rays as well. The dragon roared in agony as its scales were being sheared off by the holy rays, its elemental protections being overridden by Zero's command of the Fonons around him.

The light show stopped, and as the dragon fell back to the ground, Zero appeared in a ripple of air. Four glowing blue swords appeared around his body, circling him horizontally and moving in a clockwise motion. He spread his arms wide, and the four became eight, with the second set of four spinning in a counter clockwise motion.

The swords vanished for a moment, before appearing in a tight circle, tips outward, rotating around Zero's arms. Their rotation picked up in speed, until it looked like two glowing blue disks of energy were floating around him.

"**SHINGETSURIN!"** (True Moon Ring)

He called out, before thrusting his arms forward, tossing the two disks like ring-blades. The disks flew right at the dragon, slicing through and sawing off its forelegs, the appendages dropping to the ground amidst a puddle of blood and another screech. The dragon's maw was silenced as the blood rippled, and razor sharp spears of blood-ice slammed into its jaw, pinning it shut.

The next maneuver became a testament to Zero's physical strength.

He flew underneath the dragon, before grabbing it by its tail with his bare hands, before his wings began fluttering at a blinding pace. He pulled, and the dragon gave a fearful growl as its body was hoisted up from its rear, before Zero swung his legs back, throwing his weight behind him, and flipping himself over.

In a move that shocked and awed the crowd watching, the dragon was yanked along with Zero's movement, and slammed against the ground, head first. Stunned, both by the blood-loss generated from losing both wings and forelegs, and slamming into the ground, it could do nothing but stare in horror as Zero grabbed the sides of its maw, barely able to grip onto the head of the dragon, but still able to adhere himself through gravitational manipulation. The dragon tried to make noise, tried to open its mouth, but the blood-icicles were doing their job of pinning it shut. It could do nothing as Zero pulled and pulled, before he twisted, and with it, so did the dragon's neck.

But he wasn't done.

He continued to pull, twisting the head more until even the scales looked like they were stretching. With a roar of defiance, Zero gave one final pull, literally ripping the dragon's head off its body in a spray of blood, scales, and tendons. Some of the viewers retched at the action, others were scared shitless, and still others were transfixed both by the action, and the brutality of the warrior who until then, had simply been flinging spells around.

He smashed the head into the ground a few times for good measure, until the blood from it stopped coming out as much, before lifting it and lobbing it into the crowd.

"MAKE SOME ROOM!" Arietta yelled, before her fonic aura flared to life, arms raised as ethereal dark pink claws caught the flying head. She held it over her own head, smiling ferally at her trophy.

She turned back, in time to see Zero floating over the body of the now dead dragon, wings fluttering even faster than when he'd lifted the damn thing. She smiled wider, knowing he was going for a showy finish to this bloody battle.

Everyone was trapped in a void of darkness for a brief moment, before an orb of pitch black appeared in Zero's hand. Everyone's perception of color inverted for a second, before a massive dome of black erupted into place, engulfing the entire arena ground, and stopping just before the closest spectator seats. Everyone felt the sheer _pressure _coming from the dome, before it flickered and slowly faded.

A final sea of gasps, as the arena had become nothing more than a giant crater.

* * *

"And that," Arietta spoke softly, her words directed to King Ingobert. "Is what will become of your city should you decide to keep that bounty on his head."

The king, Luke's family, even Natalia paled, at that statement. Seeing him in action, seeing the winged warrior now slowly descending to the ground, showed to them that it was no bluff. He would do so, and it would be their fault. Immediately he gestured for a nearby soldier to come by. The man did so, keeping a wary eye on the pink haired girl who was still generating a glowing field that was the shape of a four legged beast holding up the head of a golden dragon.

"I want all those posters taken down by the end of the week. No later."

"Yes, your majesty."

As the soldier gladly ran off to do his new duty, Arietta smiled.

"There's hope for you yet, Human."

"I…Ladies and Gentlemen…I don't believe it. This man…this Winged Warrior has **conquered **our Arena! Sir Shinzaki, as customary for our champions, we usually grant them a title reflecting their skills but…I have to admit, I'm having a difficult time thinking of one befitting you."

"You know…" Arietta said softly to the King. "He didn't even use his ultimate power."

"_**What?!**_"

She nodded sagely. "He called it 'Mystic Eyes of Death Perception.' The way he described them, it was a power that could kill even concepts. A power that can enable one to slay even gods." She said almost musingly. "Almost like he's some sort of…God Slayer."

"God…Slayer…" The king mulled the words over in his head. They had a nice ring to them.

"I have an announcement!" He shouted. All attention was on the king.

"From this day forth, ye shall be dubbed Zero Shinzaki, the **God Slayer**!"

As the crowd roared in approval, Zero simply smirked.

_Another take on Shinigami huh? I like it._

* * *

"Do you _have _to drag that thing with you?" Anise asked.

"Yes." Arietta answered matter-of-factly. "It's my trophy, and I'm taking it home."

"Uhh…hate to burst your bubble Arietta but…that thing won't fit in the Albiore." Noelle said.

"What the shit-, you're still dragging that thing?" Zero spoke from ahead. He'd arrived in front of the group, from a different direction.

"Oh Zero it's such a lovely gift. You really know what to get a girl." Arietta gushed.

The young warrior just blinked. "Uhh…sure. You're welcome…I guess. But…that thing's too big to fit on the plane you know."

Arietta huffed. "Well then how am I supposed to get it home?" She complained. Thinking for a moment she spoke again before anyone could answer. "I suppose I could ask if I could take it on a cargo freighter…"

"…or…I could fly it back to Ferris myself, and you guys follow for that lesson I've been meaning to give you and Noelle."

"Oh, that's a much better idea." Arietta agreed.

"You're one fucked up girl Arietta." Zero mused.

"Hmph, like you'd have me any other way." She batted her eyelashes at him. He smirked and pulled her into a tight hug, which she swapped for a kiss. The action surprised him, but his mind slowly eased into it, realizing she'd been getting more and more affectionate as they spent more time together. As she pulled away, she couldn't help but quip something.

"It's a pity though, that you erased that thing. I've never tasted dragon before."

Everyone stared at the girl like she'd grown a second head (which was an interesting thing considering just a moment ago she was dragging a giant golden dragon head along the city by the remnants of part of its spinal cord).

Zero just blinked at her. "Well…I'll try to remember that if I ever run into a meaty enough looking dragon."

A girly squeal of joy and another kiss was his response. When she pulled away and returned her grip upon the dragon's spine, temporarily forgetting that it was Zero who would be taking it, both he and Anise spoke as one.

"**God you're friggin weird."**

* * *

**A/N**: yep. She is.

Bit more insight to Zero's thought process, and the return of the Beast Aura! Zero gets to show off some as well. (Don't worry, Luke will get his time, give it a couple more chapters.) Arietta's starting to really get into him isn't she? Just a warning: Next chapter contains a lot of talking, and explanations of things and how things interact with other things. Generally no fighting or as far as I'm aware, drama at all. Just figured I'd warn you.

(blank name): glad you find everything awesome. Nobody messes with the people Zero Shinzaki cares about, and gets away with it. And here, we see the response to what was done. Hope you continue to enjoy!


	8. Lesson

"I must say, this is a _very _impressive piece of hardware."

Luke and the others had taken King Ingobert, Emperor Peony, and Luke's Mother and Father along on the ride to Feres. Having just landed on an unusual strip of land that seemed to have the words: "PARK YOUR ASS HERE" carved into the ground, Peony mused on the stability, and smoothness of the ride over.

"It's not just the Albiore. Noelle's really good at flying." The blonde simply bowed her head in humility at Luke's praise.

"She was able to keep up with Zero, until he used the Shift, and that's no easy task, especially since he was flying on his own power." Arietta added.

"Under his own power?" Ingobert inquired.

"His wings. He can do more than just hover and glide with them, like you saw against that dragon. He can use them to fully fly wherever he wants, at impossible speeds. Not only that, but his signature technique, the Zero Shift, creates a massive gravitational distortion that propels him in a chosen direction at almost the speed of light." She continued. "It's very disorienting for anyone travelling with him though…I would know."

"My word…that much power contained in such a young man?" Luke's mother spoke surprised. Arietta snorted. "You're surprised about that, considering your son can wield the very essence of Sound at whim? How odd."

The group reached the mansion which Arietta called home. Upon opening the doors, they were met with the sight of the head of the dragon Zero defeated, being suspended by twin tendrils of sand, formed into hands, holding it in place.

Zero stood beneath the head, between the massive tendrils, arms overhead. They watched him pull back, and launch forward, the tendrils following his motion, slamming the neck of the dragon's head into a nearby wall. He dropped one arm, while waving the other around in a wild pattern. One tendril vanished, while the second remained, fanning out into an open palm, holding the head in place.

A flash of light, and Zero was floating above the head drawing symbols into the wall behind it. As he tapped the wall once his artistry was complete, massive iron chains ripped from the symbols and latched around the neck of the dragon. He waved his hand, and the sand arm dissipated, some of it forming around the base of the dragon's neck.

Zero flattened his hand, and made a thrusting motion towards the wall, and the sand seemed to compress into hardened rock. His fingers twisted into odd formations, ending with his first two fingers on his left hand facing straight up, before he pulled his head back and then launched it forward, a stream of fire bursting from between his lips, caressing the edges of the dragon's neck.

They all stared. Even Jade's glasses dropped slightly, his eyes widening at the unexpected display.

"If you're done showing off, Zero." Noelle quipped. Zero whirled around surprised. "Jeez, make some noise would you?! Almost gave me a friggin heart attack."

"Oh wow…that's perfect! Nice and intimidating." Arietta smiled.

"I put it in a good spot then?"

"Oh yes, better than I would have picked. I would have just had you put it above the front door."

"Yeah, thought about that, but then I realized that eventually rain and stuff could probably ruin it, either that or take it down. At least inside, we just gotta worry about dusting it."

He floated down to the group, wings vanishing in a wave of colors.

"Alright, lets get going. I turned one of the more broken buildings into a sort of classroom. Took out the upper floors for stability. Should be fine."

**Resonance**

**Teach Me, Zero-Sensei!**

"Alright, before we begin, it seems I have a letter here." Indeed he did. A small white envelope was sitting on his desk, which Zero picked up and opened.

"It's from the National Pancake Institute, and it says: 'Fuck Waffles.'"

Everyone just stared at him. "You…can't be serious." Ingobert blurted out.

"Indeed I can. It's a letter, the contents state: 'Fuck Waffles' and it's signed: National Institute of Pancakes for Promoting Long-term Education."

For a moment, nobody spoke, before out of nowhere, Noelle gave a very un-ladylike snort.

"Haha…Nipple."

"Noelle!" Natalia cried, shocked at the girl's rudeness.

"What? That's what it says. Take all the capital letters and combine them. N-I-P-P-L-E. It says Nipple. It's _funny_."

"I've corrupted you haven't I?"

"Yep. I'm quite pleased with the result however. Life is so much more fun this way."

Zero nodded sagely. "Indeed. Now, I'm going to warn you all here. Thinky thoughts are going to be coming out of the talky mouth, so anyone who doesn't feel like sitting through theory and wordage, well…come back later."

He paced in front of the room for a moment, silently noting that they'd also apparently picked up Jade's sister Nephry as well, before he just sighed.

"Ok, to be honest, I'm crap at this. I'm at my best when I get asked questions. just spouting shit from nothing isn't one of my skills."

"I've got one." Luke piped up.

"oh thank god." Everyone gave a short laugh at that. "G'wan Luke."

"How did you do that thing with the dragon? The hand thing."

"Hand…thing…" Zero stared at the redhead, replaying the fight in his mind. "Oh you mean the sand arms?"

"Yeah, that."

"Fuse a bit of Yellow with Green, then wrap it in the shape I wanted." He spoke effortlessly.

"Uhh, hun…not _all _of us have seen your journal. And I think it's safe to say none of us know how you think. Do you mind going in a bit more detail?" Arietta spoke.

Zero smacked his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Way to go dumbass, fuck it up before it even gets rolling…" He muttered. "Alright, I'll start with the basics. You guys have your elements sorted by way of when they were first found. Starting with Darkness, ending with Light, until they all had a mass fonon orgy and created Sound."

Again, Noelle snorted. "Zero, it's going to be hard taking any of this seriously if you keep putting those thoughts into my head." She admitted.

"Pfft, sounds like a personal problem to me." Was the retort. She laughed but waved him on.

"Right, anyway, I do things a bit differently." He held up his hand and a small cylindrical block of white appeared before him. He held it up to the chalkboard, before beginning to write.

Everyone covered their ears at the screeching.

"FOR YULIA'S SAKE MAN! STOP!" Ingobert yelled.

"See this is why I like doing what I do. It's too easy to screw with people. Really, far too effortless." He smirked at the group then wiggled his fingers. Arietta noticed a faint flicker of green, then a shimmer of silver around it before it faded. He moved to write again, and immediately everyone covered their ears.

Anise blinked. There was no screeching. She tentatively uncovered her ears, and then started gaping, as Zero was writing, and the chalk was making _no _noise at all.

Going by her example, the others did the same, complete with gaping. Zero smirked again, as he finished writing, before dropping the chalk and wiping his hands on his pants, giving a disgusted looking face.

"never did like how those things felt." He said.

"How did you do that?" Jade asked.

"Displaced the air around the chalkboard to reduce the passage of sound waves, and then threw up a secondary nullification field around the chalk, just to be sure."

Everyone just stared. Well, almost everyone. Noelle and Arietta had found pencils and papers at the desks, apparently this building actually _had _been a school before, and started writing.

"What's with the color names Sensei?" Luke asked.

"The beginning to my explanation about your question. The way I did things was this, I spent eight years learning everything I could about the elements, but I did things in my own order. Yellow, Red, Green, Blue, Black, White, and then Silver. Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Darkness, Light, Sound."

"You mentioned that in your journal. Why that particular order?" Noelle looked up from her notes.

"Where I came from…the elements existed…but only technically. It would be way too much to get into it honestly, but let's just say I grew up on that pattern. It made things easier to understand."

"Then let me see if this is correct…you merged Earth with Wind…to somehow…do what you did?"

"Here, the element of Light is created by combining Wind and Fire fonons, right? And Darkness is Water and Earth. I spent a while puzzling out why that would be, when I realized. Fire, creates a glow, it illuminates, it creates Light. Alone, Fire already makes light. But then I further traced it. What does _wind _have to do with anything? Well, Wind removes objects. It blows things away, lifts them. It _assists _in creating light. Not to mention, oxygen, which we all breath, is what fire naturally burns off of. Wind transports oxygen, which is another assistance to creating Light.

And then I thought for the opposite, Water, the deeper you go, ends up reducing, and eventually almost completely _blocking _light. It summons darkness. Earth does the same thing. Bury someone under enough rock, they can't see shit. But then you combine dirt, and water, and you get mud, which further makes darkness. Throw enough dirt into a small pool of water, and the particles of dirt in it block out the light from the surface.

So then I thought, well what other combinations are there? For those who were present during the reading of my journal, you know some of the other combinations I came up with. Wind and Water, creates Ice, by way of transferring cool air to the surface of water, you cause it to freeze. Fire and Earth creates lava, or magma, depending on where you are. The heat melts the rock into a liquid form, which can then re-harden back into solid earth. Wind and Earth creates _sand_. Sand being nothing more than small particles of earth that haven't properly clumped together."

Luke quickly pieced it together. "That was _SAND?!_"

"Yep." Zero nodded.

"Fuse Yellow with Green…" Arietta muttered.

"Exactly. Unless we're high in the air, and even then there's still a bit, the earth is all around us. The ground is below us no matter what. All it takes is a bit of skill, and you can force Green through Yellow, grinding the earth to fine particles, and then further use Green to control where it goes. And since you're manipulating clumps of individual fragments, you can form it into whatever shape you want, much like Water."

"And by applying a bit more Yellow, you can cause the clumps to cling together, partially re-forming into a whole…right?" Noelle spoke up. Zero looked at her.

"You _sure _you're a normal?"

"I'm starting to wonder if our little romp at the gate had some sort of extra effect neither of us really understood. After all, it _was _rather easy to pick up on your movements when you were clearing the air and grabbing our things afterwards." She admitted.

"Signs?" Zero looked concerned.

"It's easier to pick up on things. Much easier. I just…can't explain it. Even though we've only had a couple conversations, I found it really simple to just…think without thought…the way you said to."

Zero frowned, surprising everyone by flicking his wrist around and idly causing a stream of chalk dust to trail his fingers. "I can honestly say I know jack shit about the Gates, or how they work…"

"But…knowing you, you have a theory already."

"A couple, honestly. Really being so close to the Gates, which until now have been a major factor in how mechanics in this world worked, it could mean our little session could have triggered some sort of mental, physical, emotional or even _spiritual _exchange beyond the norm. I mean, like I said, you tend to form a bond with someone you willingly bump pelvises with, but like I also said-

"There's still things you don't know. It's alright really, hell it's made my life easier." She said.

"You sure?" He was worried. It wouldn't be the first time he'd managed to unknowningly screw someone else over with his actions, and he'd trained himself to do as little dickery with the world until Arietta was secured as possible.

"Positive. Now, get back to the lesson."

He nodded. "Right…"

"Wait, wait, wait." Emperor Peony broke in. "Can we get at least a _small _explanation as to what you two were talking about?"

Zero looked at Noelle. "It's your call." He said.

"Might as well. Maybe someone might be able to cover something you missed."

"Possible." He nodded. "Before I changed what was _supposed _to happen and saved Arietta's life, I was trying to do as little as possible to change the world too much, and throw things off. But one of the things I wanted to do was make _sure _Luke and the others managed to lower the Outer Lands. When I went to the gate, I saw the Albiore already parked there. I wanted to check up on Noelle really quick, before I went to follow the others. She wasn't in the pilot seat like she usually is, or anywhere in that area, so I started wondering if maybe something happened.

She's a non-combatant, and I can't say I personally know her skills in a fight, if there are any, so I got a bit worried. Well…I found her relieving some stress if you catch my drift, and…well…" He was trying to put things in a way that wouldn't make her sound like some form of whore.

"I'd been feeling a headache since we landed." She took over. "I figured maybe it was cause I was pent-up or something, I dunno. Next thing I know, everything's just a haze, I'm in the middle of going at it with myself, and he shows up in the room. I barely registered anything beyond the fact that there was a decent looking guy who'd been watching me play with myself for who knows how long, before the only thought in my head was getting him undressed and into his pants. Needless to say, exactly that happened."

Everyone save for Zero, was staring at her. Some, being Luke's group, knew the two had gone at it, but not the exact details. They only knew what was written, and to actively hear it…well, it's different.

"So afterwards, which was incredibly amazing I might add." She smirked at the sound of Zero smacking his head again. "My head clears of the fuzzy feeling, I kinda freak out that I may have pretty much just raped Luke's teacher, he calms me down, and we both figure it probably had something to do with the Planet Storm, its effects on the fonons around it, and our proximity to the Gate."

"I figured that the rampant fonons may have amplified her emotions, or stripped away her control, or whatever." Zero took over. "But rather than try to bind them or anything, I figured the best way to deal with it was to see if things could just be flushed naturally, the way the body does a cold."

"And you wanted to get laid." Noelle threw in. Zero just stared at her, mouthing wordlessly. "Yes." He grumbled. "That happens to be a small part of the reason as well."

Getting over his shock at how casually the two spoke of what could have potentially been not only an embarrassing, but from Noelle's point of view, a traumatic experience, Peony had to ask.

"What did you find?"

"Well, considering she snapped back to normal afterwards? I pretty much guessed spot-on, as far as I know. The Storm dicked around with her internal fonons, which in turn, messed with her head. Amplified what was already there, to the point of explosion. The why and how still escape me, but with all of my main plans already complete, I can spend some time looking into things."

He nodded, accepting the answers.

"So you were talking about clumping together sand." Nephry spoke, her own pen just now coming to a halt.

"Right. What I did was I called up some sand to form underneath the dragon, then directed it to wrap around its wings." Zero returned to the original question.

"_How?_" Ingobert asked incredulously.

"The best explanation I can give, is that I just imagined what I wanted to have happen. I took what was, which was just me and the dragon. Took what I wanted, which was for the sand to turn into a fist and grab it. And then took what could be, which was for everything to work, and made it all happen. To go deeper, just imagine coating the air with green paint from the ground to the dragon, then coating the green with yellow in the same direction, but in the form of a hand. That's basically what I did."

"But…that should be impossible!" He spoke.

"Are you saying nobody but me has even _tried _to do it?"

"Heavens no! Others have tried, but none could succeed. Which is why nobody has ever bothered to attempt creating a spell that deals with Sand!"

"Well that's why I still profess that you're all _idiots._ I mean really, I did it on my first try. Sure it was two years after I'd mastered Earth, which was kinda the point of doing things in that order anyway, but no, I'm sure anyone else could do it if they got their heads outta their asses."

"Prove it." He challenged.

"Anise."

"M-me?" She was wary, he _hated _her.

"Yes, because you've already got experience with the two elements in question, and you're not Jade."

"Wh-why not Tear? Or Arietta?"

"Because Tear has an unfair advantage of having a closer tie to the world than normal people, and Arietta has her Beast Aura, which also makes her not count towards my point. You, on the other hand, are a normal fonist. Not only that, but you're still young, and haven't delved into anything crazy like Jade."

His reasoning was sound. Even she had to admit. "A-alright." Honestly, she was scared of him. The icing on the cake for that fear was him dealing with the Dragon the way he did.

"Ok, I know your main two are Black and White but you're not trying to make it out of the ground. I'm gonna make some sand, and you're gonna move it around for a bit, ok?"

She nodded, still nervous. He looked around, trying to find a stable area to draw from. Just before he did, Arietta's body became engulfed in a pink glow.

"Ari?"

"Gonna narrate." He tilted his head. "I'm no Cheagle, but I can see the flows of fonons kinda, like this. Well, not so much see…"

"Perception. You don't know how, but you just know, right?" She nodded. "Perception then. You can _perceive _the flow of fonons, creating an instinctive knowledge. Alright, I'll try to go slow for you then."

He reached out a hand.

"Ok…wow…he's practically coated in stuff…no no…focus Arietta. Right, ok. There's a small stream of green coming from his fingers. Wait, now there's a stream of yellow…and it's moving faster than the green. Ok…the yellow sunk into the ground…and now there's a big patch where there's a faint yellow hue. The green just sunk into the yellow…oh…oh wow…that's…I don't even know what color that is…but it's weird." She trailed off.

"What's happening?" Luke asked gently.

"The green and yellow are…mixing. It's really weird. Ok…now there's a lot more green, no…it's darker. Greener than green. It's…pulling at something…pulling at the mixture."

Here, a small crack appeared in the ground where Zero was pointing his fingers, and a small tendril of grains seeped out.

"Ok…now…wait why are the glows fading?"

"Because this is where my part ends. I just _made _the sand."

The pink glow faded. "Oh. Wow, that was strange."

"Alright, Anise. What I want you to do is gather some wind fonons, and lift that sand."

Anise shakily nodded, and then focused her attention on the small patch of sand near them. After a few moments of nothing happening, Arietta started glowing faintly again.

"You're doing it wrong." She said.

"What?"

"You're gathering the fonons like you're trying to cast a spell. Don't try to cast. Focus the fonons _at _the sand. You only need a small amount to direct your will to the world. Don't focus so hard, you've already converted the required amounts to yours, just let it happen." She said.

_Let it happen…_ The girl closed her eyes and relaxed. In a tone very few ever expected to hear come from Zero, let alone directed at Anise, he spoke, gently placing a hand on her shoulder.

"If it helps, try to imagine a green stream connecting from some part of your body, to the sand. Imagine scooping it up like you would with a shovel. If you have to, and I find this helps, make a motion with your hands, if you can't just see it in your head." He said encouragingly.

Pushing aside her shock that he actually spoke _kindly _to her, Anise nodded and focused again. Faintly, she started to see an image of herself in the room, the sand in front of her. Unconsciously, she rose her left hand, imagining a green little toy shovel appearing, and scooping up the grains.

Gasps and widened eyes shot through the room. The sand was floating. It was clumped together, the same way it would be as if someone had taken a scoop and lifted it.

"Good, now, imagine dumping that shovel into a bucket." She did so, and everyone watched as the clump streamed out of its position, lower to the ground, but still not touching the ground.

"Ok, now, I want you to take that image, and imagine the sand covered in yellow. Imagine that the yellow is like glue. You want to get as much sand on the yellow glue as possible until only the sand can be seen."

She nodded, eyes still closed. She began moving her left arm back and forth across her chest, fingers wiggling as if she were sprinkling dust on something…

And the grains followed her every move.

"Holy shit…" Guy breathed out.

Nobody noticed the smile on Zero's face. Nobody, save for Noelle. She took a glance, and noticed that both his hands were on Anise's shoulders, and he had an amazingly triumphant smile. He was enjoying this.

"Ok, now…imagine the sand is a string. You're holding that string. Got it?" A silent nod.

"Now, make the string wiggle."

She started gently flicking her wrist, and the sand started dancing around as if it were just as Zero described. A string, with a child at the end of it. They all watched as it did loops, spun around, spiraled and generally spazzed out.

The smile grew wider.

Zero gently removed his hands from Anise's shoulders, noting the girl was practically in a trance.

"Last thing. Imagine the string is a rope. Take that rope, and make it latch onto the leg of a table, then yank that bitch back." He commanded.

They all watched as Anise's hand changed positions, as if she were holding a thick rope. She pulled her arm back, the sand gently streaming back with her, and began flicking it around her head as if she were readying a lasso. She threw her arm forward, the stream of grain lashing out, and wrapping around the leg of one of the broken tables. They saw her hand clench, Arietta and Zero noticed her muscles tense, her legs spread out to create a balance for the weight of the object she was now connected to. Her right arm rose to support her left wrist, and she pulled back, violently.

As she did so, the sand stream repeated her motion, within less than a second, the desk was overturned and flung up into the air, crashing into the ceiling. The noise of the impact startled Anise out of her trance, her eyes snapping open in time to see the grains of sand drop to the ground, no longer being held by her will, and the table crash into the ground as well. Her arm dropped in shock, hanging lifelessly at her side, her mouth gaping.

"D-did…did I just…"

She jumped when Zero's hand touched her shoulder, and he was smiling. _Smiling_! At _her!_ She flushed slightly, part of her finally understanding _why _Arietta seemed to be taken with him.

She wanted to see more of that smile. Even if it wasn't directed at her.

"I do believe that proves my point." He said, smile shifting to a smirk. He gently pat her on the head twice, before nudging her back to her seat. Anise sat down, shaking slightly, from the feeling of pure _control _she had.

"What was it like?" Jade asked.

"I…" Anise wracked her brain, trying to think of the words. "…control." Was all she said, before her eyes seemed to glaze over.

"I…I felt like I had total control. It felt like…like…"

"Like you were the very sand you were manipulating." Zero said.

"_Yes._ Exactly like that. It felt like the sand was just…another part of my body. It felt…natural…**real**." She said breathlessly, as if telling an incredible tale. "It felt…so different. So _right_, to be doing it like that."

She looked to Zero. "is that…is that how it is for you?"

"Every time. You gotta remember, I would spend an entire year, devoting all my attention to that one element, its applications, and how it could be wielded. I let the _fonons _flow through me, and simply directed their path. I figured, the fonons are all already within me, I just needed to _resonate _with them in a way that made the fonons outside my body do what I wanted them to do."

"Why her?" Natalia broke in. "Why not Luke?"

"Because Luke has experience doing something beyond the norm. He can wield hyperresonance at will. That, and I'd already given him some basic instructions as to wield elements the way I do. It wouldn't be fair to the vague terms of your father's challenge, if I asked him to do it."

"And what of Jade?"

"Necromancer. Nuff said."

"I know why you didn't pick me," she continued. "that much is obvious, but I thought the same held for Anise as well."

"Well, you're only half right on both counts. There's a second reason why I didn't pick you, besides hating your existence. It's because you don't know a single offensive spell. And no, grafting fonons to your weapon to generate an effect after there's been a massive amount of said fonon doesn't count. FOF changes are different from normal spell casting."

"And the second thing?"

"I didn't _always _used to hate Anise. In fact, for a good bit of time, she was my favorite."

"W-what?!" The girl in question exclaimed, blush returning.

"For a while, all I knew about her was she was a badass little girl riding a giant stuffed animal in battle who could shit Dark spells like nobody's business. And that she had some weird crush thing on Luke."

He waved his hand, stream of sand gently following his movements. _It would appear, _Jade analyzed, _that Zero idly manipulates the elements around him when he's explaining things…or possibly even bored. That level of control…impossible…but right in front of me._

"Theeen I played through. The dislike started at Akzeriuth. I mean, obviously none of you knew what was going on behind the scenes, but still, that you were all so eager to jump down Luke's throat was a bit much. Then came after. Your attitude towards him was downright assholic. If Luke had gone and wiped the place cause he felt like it, he'd have totally deserved it, but even after learning he wasn't in control, you and Old Man Fuckass over there continued to act like total douche bags. Then came the revelation that you'd been working under Mohs to undermine and screw over the very group that called you friends, most likely from the very beginning. That brought back your attitude towards Luke, and how fucking hypocritical it was of you to be treating him like absolute shit, when you were _consciously _doing worse.

Yeah, ok, your parents were in Mohs' debt, and you loved them even though they're morons, and were willing to do whatever it took to make sure they could be freed. Biiiig Fuckin whup. All you would have had to do was ask Ion a favor and boom, they'd be in _his _debt, and you wouldn't have much to worry about because even _that _Ion was an honorable motherfucker. Didn't want to involve Ion? Fine, but that was _your _choice, your conscious decision. It also didn't seem to occur to you at any time, _especially _during Luke's emo, oh please forgive me I'll do anything phase, to go 'hmm, wait a minute. I got a dude who can blow away a goddamn country in the span of a second. Lemme ask him to help out my parents!' I never bought your desperation story one second.

Then came in the fact that you not only opened the path to Ion's death, which even though I never held you responsible for, I still held you responsible for opening the way. _Then _came the knowledge that you willingly withheld the information that Ion was indeed a fake, and even stopped the fake Ion from telling Arietta, tricking the poor girl into believing that her only reason for living had been long since gone? And on top of all that, not even telling her the truth before she died? Yeah, it was around then that you got booted off my list of people I liked from this world, your spot quickly being replaced by Arietta." He concluded.

"But she's just a child!" Ingobert countered.

"True, but that only excuses a few of her actions. Given the circumstance, any child with an actual brain, and _especially _one appointed to Fon Master Guardian, would have the foresight, comprehension, or at least intelligence to realize the situation and ask for assistance. She was a child trying to be an adult, rather than utilizing the avenues open to her, _because _she was a child, she consciously ignored them, and in the end, failed to achieve anything of worth on the subject."

He shook his head. "But that's got nothing to do with this. I picked her because I know her skills, out of everyone in this room. And because she's a normal fonist, like I said earlier. You issued a challenge, I responded, and emerged victorious, just like I believed I would. Alright, what's next?"

"The roots." Guy said. "You summoned thick roots against the dragon too, a lot like the sand."

"Haha, digging for information on elements you can't control. Alright. Ari, if wouldn't mind?"

Knowing what it was Zero wanted, the faint glow appeared around her again.

"hmm…we're gonna have to work on that." He said.

"Eh?"

"Your little trick. We're gonna have to find some way to internalize it so you don't stand out as much. Wouldn't be useful to give a warning to the enemy that you're watching for when they're casting. Ehh, I'll figure it out later."

He held up his hand again. As before, she began to narrate.

"Yellow again. It's seeping into the ground. Wait, _blue_? Why would-oh…huh…that kinda makes sense."

"Arietta?" Anise prodded.

"The yellow and blue are mixing into green. It's like…at first the blue just surrounded the yellow, and then the yellow began seeping through the blue, but then, like with the sand, the yellow and blue started mixing. What? He's mixing in _more _green now and-oh…woooow…that's beautiful…"

"What, what is it? What do you see?" Tear asked.

"The green…got greener. Like with the sand, only this is a more…**dark **green. Almost like staring at a fo-rest…" She trailed off suddenly, glow fading as her focus broke, mind delving into her memories.

* * *

_"Well, now we have a better bridge."_

_"How…?"_

_"Just weaved a bit of nature element into the tree, to stimulate its growth exponentially. Then I just directed its roots to where I wanted them to be."_

_**Nature…what?!**__ "There's no nature element…" She said cautiously, as if speaking to a child. All she got back was that irritating smirk of his._

* * *

"That's _nature_?!" She said suddenly.

She stared incredulously at him as he just smiled, and flicked his wrist. The stone cracked beneath him, and a small brown root emerged.

"That's how…you made that bridge…" She spoke softly.

"Mix yellow with blue, make green. Throw more green into it, make it darker. Then, just Form." He infused a bit more energy into the root, and it shuddered before standing ramrod straight. It seemed to pulse for a moment, before small buds emerged from its sides, forming into leaves.

"It's tricky though. Definitely not something just anyone can do. It takes far more imagination than most scholars, let alone adults as a whole have. On top of that it takes more control than most children have either. Too much green and it falls apart. Too little and you just get mud, which has its uses, but isn't Nature." He concluded.

"How does it work?" Nephry asked, pen moving.

"Blue softens up the ground, Yellow forms it from mud to straight dirt. I suppose if I threw in a bit of Red I could actually speed up the process, by drying out the earth. The Green simulates the effects of carrying seeds across the winds, depositing them all over the place, as well as simulates the flow of oxygen, allowing the plants to have the sustenance required to grow. If you're just aiming for a root, that's all you need, but either a bit of White or a bit of Red is required if you're planning on growing an actual plant, to mimic the effects of the sun's rays. Vines and simple leaves are a bit different. Also, the Blue creates the liquid inside the plants, kinda like the bloodstream of a human, that carries the particles of 'food' and energy around it."

Her pen never stopped moving.

"Anything else?" He asked.

"Your wings." Jade spoke. "We got some of the basis of how they work, but really, what _are _they?"

"Hmm…I _should _refuse your question on principle that it's _you _asking…buuut…I won't."

He began pacing. "To be honest? I don't know. What started as an attempt to be able to fulfill one of my greatest dreams, ended up being something beyond what I expected. They're…probably my greatest work. They're generally formed of White, but that wasn't enough to fly, so I tried a bunch of combinations. It wasn't until I tapped Sound did something change though."

He began staring into space.

"Somehow…they mutated from simply a method to fly, to some sort of fonic regulator. When they're out…things are just…easier. Spells get cast faster, manipulations trigger quicker, hold longer, and have more lasting effects. It's like…the second I tapped Sound, the effects forced my internal setup to cycle differently than before, and when the wings come out, it's like the world flows through me. Take what Anise said she felt, and magnify it a hundred-fold, and you get what _I _feel.

It's like…the world becomes my plaything, as if changing something in it is as simple as snapping my fingers. All I have to do is _want _it, and things happen. It's not until lately was I able to actually try to start figuring out what happens, before, I just had to hold off because if I made too big a name for myself, when I wasn't supposed to exist, I could change something I didn't want to, far too early. I can't even tell you how I made them properly form. It's like…the moment I tapped Sound, the World took over and did everything _for _me.

I mean, I could stand here, tell you all of the different ways I can weave the world to do what I want till I'm blue in the face, and you could even start teaching people my methods, and it wouldn't matter, because by the time anyone catches up to where I am _now, _I'll be once again, way ahead. So far not a single being on this planet can match me when I go all out, and I haven't even been _pushed _to yet. The second the wings come out, it's usually all over, unless I hold back. I **am** however, looking into how to simulate the effects…maybe not the flight but the fonic circulation bits. Out of anyone here, only myself, and maybe Arietta knows what it feels like to have the **world **flow through you. The very essence of the Planet itself, all its rules, all its laws, all its _possibilities_, open to you.

Even without my wings out, I can still control the world better than anyone else. They're a booster, not a key. I don't _need _them, they just help. Sometimes making difficult tasks trivial."

"Luke could match you." Jade spoke. "At least in terms of raw destructive force."

"You're wrong, Necromancer. He can't."

"Sensei?" Luke spoke, suddenly very worried.

"Tear. I want you to sing."

"Wh-what?"

"Nothing major. Just pull out a Force Field."

"Uhh…alright…" She was a bit uncertain but she closed her eyes and focused.

"**Croa riou ze tue ri-**

She froze, eyes snapping open in horror. She started gasping, gripping at her throat, silently screaming for help. The others began panicking, before they whirled around to Zero, who had a single hand held up, faint green glow around it. His eyes were hard, stance rigid, giving no emotion. Then, his hand lowered, glow fading, and Tear's gasps of air could be heard.

"What the hell man?!" Guy yelled.

"**Sound**."

Everyone silenced.

"Can be silenced."

Stares.

"What I just did, was create a small field of distorted air around her. I set a localized area of nullification, removing the very air from her. Her voice stopped traveling, and she lost the ability to breathe, for one cannot breathe if there is no oxygen. **Sound **cannot travel without a medium. Air is the most frequently used one, as it doesn't disrupt or distort like more solid things do."

Arietta started to see where this was going. "But…doesn't hyperresonance just make a big boom?"

"You were unconscious when I told him, but I already told Luke what hyperresonance really is. It's nothing more than vibrating sound waves on a localized point. You do so at such a high frequency, that the object crumbles because of the force."

"But…if there's no sound…you can't vibrate anything…and if you can't vibrate it…you can't destroy it." Noelle finished. "Is that what you're saying? By removing the medium that the sound travels through, you can stop it from having any effect?"

He just nodded.

"How is that possible, Sir Zero?" Luke's mother asked softly.

"It's a fundamental law of the universe. Too much of one thing can cancel another thing out. I had a hard time using Fire in Grand Chokmah because of the heavy moisture content in the air. As a result, out of all my basic castings, fire is my most destructive, due to me having to throw more power into them to get them to work. Too much Green, Yellow weakens, too much Black, White weakens. All it would take, is to knock Luke in the air, and localize a field of inverse-air around him, and he'd be helpless."

"…you've thought of ways to kill all of us, haven't you Sensei?" Luke asked, deadpan.

He sighed. "I'm friggin Batman."

* * *

Watching the Albiore lift off and proceed to its other destinations, Zero and Arietta stood outside the mansion.

"I think that went well." She said, turning to him.

"Gave them a lot to think about."

"Me too. I never even fathomed you could fuse fonons like that beyond what we discovered. I'm sorry I doubted you on the Nature thing."

"Don't worry about it." He pulled her close to him. "Honestly, while it helped you refine your spellcasting, being trained by humans diminished your natural instincts towards the world. I'm just glad they weren't completely erased."

"I do feel a bit…freer lately. Ever since you saved me. And I don't think it was just because of you erasing the Miasma in me. I think I understand what you mean about feeling the world flow through you. I was skeptical at first, but I gave it a shot a couple times after I spoke with Mommy…and it felt so natural. After a while, I started wondering how the hell I got on in life without feeling it." She admitted.

"It's incredible isn't it? To know that even though you're really an insignificant speck on this planet…it still flows through you. You're still a part of it, and can wield it by listening to its call."

"I'm…impressed…with how you handled Anise." She said, the two turning around to enter the mansion.

"I meant what I said. Before I really got to understand her person, her concept…I thought she was pretty damn awesome. And then I learned, and my opinion changed, because I understood her."

"I think she might just change on us though…I mean…she was the first to proclaim to everyone that the best way to keep you from breaking down like you almost did on the Albiore, was to finish up the Van situation, and make sure I stay safe."

"She said that?" He spoke, surprised.

"Yeah. It surprised me too. I can't say if she was merely worried about her own life though, once I explained how close to death they were."

"Yeah…sorry about that…"

She turned around and grabbed his chin with her hand, though she was shorter than him, she forced his head to look right at her.

"Don't be. You saved my life, gave me the chance for closure with both Ion and Mommy, you kept me _safe _after all that, you taught me things about the world and fonons I'd never known before, you've done so much for me, all on the off chance that _maybe _I'd like you. You've got to be the craziest, bravest, and stupidest person I've ever met. But that's what I love about you."

"…I really thought it would have taken longer." He said.

"It would have." She admitted in return. "If you weren't so _you_. Whether you did it on purpose or if it was just luck, you told me everything I needed to hear, you did it in a way that I would understand and not flip out, you gave me _choice_, where everyone else would have chosen _for _me. You _Fought by my side_, when anyone else would have tried to beat the idea into me. I love you, because you took the time to understand me, and even though you let some bad things happen to me, you did it so in the end, I would **live**, when I was supposed to die. The ends don't always justify the means, but considering what we're dealing with? I think I can accept what you let occur."

"…you're a strange girl, you know that?" He sighed out.

She just smiled. "Would you really have me any other way?"

"Nope." The two smiled at each other.

* * *

**Somewhere Else…**

_It's been a year now._

_Everyone knows he's gone. But…_

_Something's not right. They found the car, they saw the site…but the reports said that there was no body._

_There wasn't even blood, not even a __**hair**__._

_And even stranger, the seatbelt not only was still buckled, but didn't even look disturbed._

_Everyone thinks he's dead…even __**she **__does…_

_But not me._

_Something doesn't add up…_

_Where the hell did you go big brother?_

_And why didn't you take me with you?_

* * *

**A/N: **Well, here's a bit more insight to how Zero casts and does the things he does. Man, I'm getting really descriptive lately aren't I? Though, here's a question…who the hell was talking at the end?"

Karndragon: Daath was so horribly corrupt it's not even funny. If Ion wasn't such a doormat that place could have been badass.


	9. EotB

**Resonance**

**The End of the Beginning**

She was beaten.

While powerful, against their combined strengths, Regret stood no chance.

Of course…she already knew this. It wasn't victory she sought, but rather, time. She kneeled before the group, not by choice, but through the sheer lack of strength left in her body.

"…finish me."

Jade flicked out his mini-spear, but Luke held a hand in front of the elder, shaking his head. Jade stayed his hand, understanding what Luke's silent movement was to convey.

Tear gripped one of her daggers, holding it between her fingers. She pulled back, and then stopped.

"Why do you hesitate? Finish me! Should I regain my strength the battle will only continue. You will not pass, should I recover." Regret barked out.

"I…Major…"

The girl was confused. Her mind said she should, to end this threat, and continue on with their journey…but her heart wouldn't allow her to.

"Please…Major…you don't have to die here."

"All I want…is a world where the score doesn't exist. For that reason, I will fight you till the end. End me now, or I will rise again and strike you down, Tear."

Tear took a shuddering breath, closing her eyes. A single drop fell from her cheek, as she pulled back and threw her dagger.

As she did so, Luke suddenly clutched his head, giving a shout of sudden jarring pain. The shout startled everyone, Tear included, causing the girl's aim to falter. What was a shot at the throat, now flew over the woman's head, at the same time the ceiling above them collapsed, a brilliant shining light flaring through.

On his six wings of light, Zero appeared, flying down towards the group among massive rocks, which suddenly flew everywhere but where the two opposing parties were. He flipped forward, landing on his feet in between Regret, and the others.

"Made it in time." He said to himself.

"Sensei! What are you doing here?" Luke asked, headache subsiding.

"Sorry Luke, gotta get in your way again. Last time though…I think." He gave a small smile to the other group, before turning around to Regret.

"You…" She said. She remembered her humiliating defeat at Deo Pass. Any further words were cut off, as her eyes narrowed. _So…Largo wasn't joking around when he said someone saved Arietta's life, and that someone had glowing prismatic wings of light…_

"I have a task for you, Magic Bullet Regret. You're going to help me train someone to not be a weakling."

She struggled to her feet. "You do not control me, _boy_. I have one task, and one task alone."

"And said task is futile, considering your beloved is going to die."

That struck a nerve. "Folly! Van is-

"Weaker than he should be, thanks to me. If I hadn't stepped in, he might actually pose a threat to Luke's job. And I can't be having that. I doubt you'd listen, but believe me when I say the Score no longer holds sway over this world. My presence here has seen to that."

"You're right." She said, mentally testing her appendages, checking to see if she could at least hold this new arrival off. "I don't believe it. The Score is absolute."

"And yet here you are, trying to defy that absolution. You've contradicted yourself, Magic Bullet Regret." He retorted.

Luke clutched his head again. A strange buzzing was ringing in his ears, similar to the feeling when Lorelei or Asch would contact him…but yet different at the same time.

Not used to having such cold logic thrown in her face, Regret was taken off balance by the statement.

"You little-

"You claim the Score is absolute, yet you claim your beloved has a way to end the Score. That in itself is a massive contradiction. Not to mention the possibility of there being a hidden verse that was never read, that proclaimed the _end _of the Score."

Her eyes widened, as did everyone else's.

"Never considered that possibility? Who says that there's no pre-mandated condition for every event that has taken place thus far, to have occurred? Who's to say Luke's presence isn't so much a contradiction within the Score, but part of it that nobody has ever encountered? Everything you're doing, could simply be nothing more than what you're _meant _to do." He drove in.

"I-Impossible!" She was shaken. Not even _Van _had considered that possibility. Could it truly have been that everything they were trying to do, was simply Fate?

"Now, if you wish to go against your possible directive, join me in training my charge, and I will set you free."

For a moment, she hesitated. The conflict within her was clear in her eyes. _Even if it's a possibility, there's still the more likely-hood of his prediction being incorrect! I will abide by my course!_

"Never!" She yelled, as she raised her gun and fired. Zero blinked in surprise, not expecting his words to simply wash over her. The pellet of fonons slammed into his forehead, causing the group behind to gasp, Luke to yell out in pain, and Zero to begin leaning back.

As Natalia grabbed Luke, who was clutching his head with both hands, Zero's body stopped its arc, and he lurched forward. Unseen to any, Mieu shuddered violently, as a pulse of fonons ripped through the air, unnoticed.

"It would seem…" Zero spoke slowly.

"**That you require a lesson in obedience."**

A massive jolt of pain shot through Luke's body upon that statement. His stomach heaved, and surprising everyone, he vomited on the ground before him.

That distraction was enough to hide the initial, and sudden change that overtook Zero. As Guy looked back, upon hearing Regret's sudden yelp of surprise, her body being flung backward by a pulse of invisible force, he exclaimed and alerted the others.

"What the hell?!" Everyone looked, even the agonized Luke, and gasped again.

What were once glorious and almost angelic prismatic wings, now were a disturbingly dark, almost light-absorbing blackish red.

(BGM: Devil May Cry 4 – Power of Destroyer (Battle with God 1)

Luke twitched, the noise in his head giving way to a single phrase.

_**Rrha num wa hyzik dest yor.**_

As her body flew backward, past the staircase before which she was launched from, her arms rose in an attempt to strike back at the winged being before her. The moment her mind committed to that action, the ground before Zero buckled, white tendrils of grain ripping from the depths of Eldrant, and lashing out at the woman. Her arm movements froze, never seeing such a maneuver, and that moment of inaction was enough for the tendrils to segment into two, wrapping around her wrists and shins, before yanking her back forward.

As she neared the group, the tendrils dropped, releasing her but forcing her body to keep its momentum. Before she could process the sudden freedom, her body was impacted by a massive brown root that ripped out of the wall to Zero's right, formed by the staircase. The root crashed through stone, and reached around to smash into her side, knocking her towards the left wall.

That wall rippled, a massive slab of stone jutting out as she slammed into the wall, creating a small platform on which she landed. As her body touched 'ground', Zero lifted off, gently drifting to match her height. The two locked eyes, and as Regret lifted an arm to fire, Zero mimicked her action.

Only it was Zero's move, that took hold.

The slab on which she sat rippled, and the vibrations distracted her, causing her to look down just in time for a pillar of stone to rip from the slab, impacting straight between her legs. She gave a sharp cry of pain, before she buckled over forward, falling off of the still rising pillar. A gentle pull of his arm, and two tendrils of sand ripped from the pillar, wrapping around her legs and yanking her back up. She slammed into the ceiling, coughing out a small trickle of blood from the impact, before the tendril lashed around, pulling her legs with it, swinging her body around like a helpless stone at the end of a rope, before smashing her into the back wall, then dragging her along said wall, the rough stone slowly shredding cloth and flesh alike, leaving a small red stripe as she was scraped along.

The others looked on in horror, unable to move due to Zero's summoned gravitational field holding them in place. They could breathe, but they couldn't change position in the slightest.

The tendril lashed again, slamming Regret into the ground before Zero.

"**Submit."**

"N-never…" She spat out, mouth filled with blood. She froze, blinking rapidly. Her body felt…better? She didn't feel a thing anymore. She felt…almost _good._

And then the pain came.

_**Rrha num wa lonfa dest yor.**_

The earth had buckled underneath her once more, forming into a large fist that slammed into her chest sending her helplessly flying into the air. Zero held out a hand, multiple blood red lights forming around him. The lights morphed into glowing swords…but the tips of the blades were…curved. These inverse curves created a slightly wider range for the blades themselves. They vanished.

One appeared before Regret, as her body flipped around. It passed her, slicing her left shoulder as it flew by, turning her tumble into a spin, before another appeared above and behind her, impaling her back before vanishing, causing her to flip forward.

The blades would appear, crash into her, forcing her to rotate in another direction, and vanish. This happened repeatedly, until Zero suddenly appeared above her as she was launched up from below. He drew his right arm below him, bending his knees and rotating his own body, arm glowing the same color as his wings. A trail of unusual mist followed his hand, before a large curved blade appeared from it, crashing right into Regret's chest, halting her momentum and forcing her back to the ground, which was a very long fall, made short by the force of his strike. She bounced off the ground, feeling something in her side crack in the process, before Zero suddenly appeared and slammed a foot into her chest. Regret screamed out in pain, as he stomped her back to the ground.

"**Submit."**

Shuddering, she just barely shook her head. Zero's wings seemed to flutter in agitation, as he stepped away.

_**Rrha num wa sphilar dest yor.**_

Once again, she was enveloped in the healing tones of the Seventh Fonon, before Zero stomped the ground. A ripple of force tore through the stone floor, bouncing Regret up slightly, as if she were on a trampoline. A small boulder formed from the ground and smashed into her back, propelling her towards Zero, who whirled around and caught her with one hand, by her face. She cried out as his nails dug into her temples, before he flung her away, over the banister and towards the endless abyss below.

Thinking it was finally over, she relaxed her body, accepting her end…before the wall in front of her feet buckled, roots ripping out from the stone, binding her arms and legs, and pulled her back, slamming her into the wall next to the group. Zero held up a single hand, before snapping his fingers.

The scream that ripped from her throat was deafening.

She roared her agony as her own body's natural electrical currents were hyper-charged, causing even the very act of _thinking _to send thousands of volts coursing through her body.

And her pain was supported by the Seventh Fonon, its healing power counteracting every spark, instantly healing her the second damage was dealt, creating an eternal loop of agony without the release of death, or unconsciousness.

After over a minute, the pain faded, her screams turning to sobs. The group just watched in horror as Zero's emotionless gaze never left the woman.

"**Submit."**

Tears streaming down her face, blood running down her chin from where she bit her lip…

She nodded.

Zero gently floated over to where she was bound, hand glowing. He held his left hand up to her chest, and everyone watched as the front of her uniform was shredded, the woman's breasts bouncing slightly from their sudden freedom.

She grimaced, not knowing what to expect. Was he going to molest her now that he had her bound? Was he going to continue her torture, taking it to a new level?

_**Rrha num wa manaf lhasya yor, manaf mea.**_

The glow focused on a single point, Zero placing a finger on her chest, just above her cleavage. She flinched, thrashing slightly as the sudden burning on her chest overtook her nerves. Just as suddenly as it came, it went. She looked down, not seeing anything save for a soft red glow.

He had marked her. The sigil of Destruction was now upon her form, binding her body to his will. She would later learn that this mark kept her alive through his essence, and that should she wish, he would keep his word, and use it to end her life.

She felt…cold. This, was due to her shadow suddenly growing, forming into a giant black spot on the wall, larger than she was. The roots binding her pulled on her body, dragging her into the shadow, wisps of black emerging from where flesh met darkness. They watched as she vanished into the strange blackness, before it shrunk and vanished.

Suddenly, the pressure on their bodies faded, Zero turning around, slashing his arm, creating a wide distortion in the air…before he vanished with a loud ripping noise. Immediately after he disappeared, Luke's pain subsided. He got to his feet, assisted by Natalia and Guy.

"Wh-what…" Anise was too scared to speak. There was a _reason _she was afraid of him.

"How…how could he…" Tear was almost crying at this point. To see her mentor, her former friend, and the person she looked up to, be so horribly tortured…it was hell.

"I…" Luke spoke, coughing slightly at the aftertaste of his own bile. "I don't…think that was entirely Zero…"

The others were going to protest, but then the man in question's own words came back to them. Don't Assume.

"Elaborate please." Jade commanded.

"I…when he showed up…I got a headache. It was…different than before. But…when he started doing…all that stuff…it got worse. But…I heard something other than just noise."

"What? What did you hear?"

"Chanting." They all just stared. "I heard chanting. I couldn't understand what they were saying…but it sounded like Zero's voice…mixed with…so many others'. His and one specific woman's voice were the loudest…but I didn't recognize any of them other than his." He continued.

"…you think he was possessed then." Guy stated.

"I don't know…something was definitely off…"

"As much as I honestly would like to figure out what just occurred here, we don't have the time. Are you able to continue, Luke?" Jade sought.

"Yeah…yeah I'm fine…lets…lets go."

* * *

A red haired man stood before a large door that would not open, save for specific circumstances. He cursed himself, the door, and another in his mind, just for good measure. He blinked, hearing an unusual sound coming from behind him.

"iiiiiIIIIIIIIIT!

A body slammed into the ground. The red haired man scowled, knowing exactly who it was.

"_Ow_! Dammit Van…that was a dick move right there…" The new arrival muttered to himself.

"God dammit Dreck! Can't you do anything _RIGHT _for once?!"

"Who the-…Asch?" Luke stood up, still nursing his leg, but blinked at his other.

"No. I'm the damn tooth fairy." Was the sarcastic reply.

"Really? Oh good cause I've got a few of them left around the house-

"GODDAMMIT DRECK!"

"Cool off Asch. You're being a douche. All I did was-

He stopped, before smacking himself in the head. "Oh…DAMMIT! And Sensei warned me and everything…" Luke muttered.

"Sensei? Wait, you mean that _kid_?! How the _hell _would he have-

"He said, and I quote: '**you fall into the same trap Asch does because you're both idiots.**' And look, we're both stuck here."

"Not stuck." Asch corrected. He pushed Luke out of the way before firing up his own Hypperresonance. The vibrations caused something to occur in the floor, as strands of light green traveled along the grooves in the marble, racing up the stairs and reaching the middle of the door that wouldn't open. The door parted.

"_**there can only be One.**__" That's what you said. I could fight him for the right but…_

_Would there be a point to it? Even if I beat him, he wouldn't acknowledge me. Even if I threw the truth into his face, he wouldn't acknowledge me. I'm nothing to him…_

_But…_

_Why the hell should I care? He chose his path. I never asked for any of this, I didn't ask to be created in some lab. I didn't ask to take __**his **__existence! He thinks he's superior…well…it doesn't matter. Because __**I'm **__the one who will get out of here._

Before Asch realized what was going on, Luke had vanished. He looked around, no longer feeling the presence of another person in his immediate area. He looked up, before gaping, seeing Luke leaning on the doors.

"What the-

"Y'know…if you hadn't been such a douche, I'd have taken you with me. But no. You have to be an insulting person, to the one man who would understand your plight better than anyone else in the world. You blamed me for stuff that wasn't my fault, treated me like garbage, and ordered me around like I was a tool. Nothing I say or do will change your mind, so I'm just going to leave you here."

Asch immediately cut off the Resonance, before attempting to run towards Luke. Luke entertained the thought of tripping him up, but decided to leave things to Fate. As the doors closed, faster than Asch could run, Luke gave one final parting comment.

"Maybe if you'd thought about how you'd feel if you were on the other side of the spectrum, rather than cursing the fact that I exist, you wouldn't be in this mess. You made your choice, Asch the Bloody. You renounced your name, renounced your _brother_, and decided to lament my existence. You chose your path, and now, you have to face the consequences."

Asch had stopped, frozen in a trance of rampaging emotions. As the doors closed, Luke left one parting comment.

"Once this is all over, I'll come back for you. Till then, try not to die."

* * *

"So…you won, I presume." Jade said, surprising Luke slightly with the similarity in word choice between the man before him, and Zero. He pushed it away and shook his head.

"I didn't bother fighting him."

That caused the others to stop.

"Wait, what?" Guy blinked.

"Luke…explain." Tear said.

Luke shrugged. "He called me some names, as usual, then used hyperresonance to activate something on the floor that caused the door to open. Probably showing off like usual, trying to make himself feel superior to me. Well, since the idiot was so _kind _as to open the door for me, I Stepped out."

"You…you LEFT HIM?!" Natalia yelled.

"Well, I turned around and threw some **truth **in his face, but pretty much."

"What the hell's wrong with you Luke?! We could have used his help!" Guy followed.

Luke just leveled a cold glare, something that made Guy take a step back.

"Oh really? We _really _needed someone along for a delicate operation that only undermines and belittles everything I say? We _really _needed to be accompanied by a guy who has _no _synergy with any of us save Natalia, and since out of all of us _I'm _the only one who knows the way he fights, and he absolutely _detests _me on the principle of a situation I had no control over, there's no way we would have been able to properly coordinate, and most likely would have ended up **dead** because of his inability to let go of the past?!

I mean **COME ON!**" he yelled, causing everyone save Jade (who simply rose an eyebrow in surprise) to step away from the now pissed off teen.

"I **SAW **everything in his head when he was with you all! To him, the only one that means _anything _is Natalia, and he fights that thought tooth and nail! To him, the rest of _you _are just tools to be used up and thrown away when he has no need for you! He's so focused on being pissed off that **I **exist, a choice I didn't make, by the way, that all he knows how to do is brood, yell, and insult! He's so pissed with himself, that he takes it out on his mirror image, **ME!** We **DON'T **need that _CRAP _bogging us down right now! An extra sword is useless if it doesn't flow as well as the rest of the set! I mean what do you _think _would happen, if I caught something _he _didn't?! It would set him off beyond belief that the 'dreck' managed to upstage him!

He's a self-pitying, self-centered, egotistical **JERKASS **that we _DON'T _need following us around! I mean, if he was _stupid _enough to let his emotions completely blind him to the memory that I _wiped the damn floor with him_ when we first fought, by way of _advanced movement abilities_, I might add, which was the _sole _reason I got out of that room before he noticed, then what makes you think he'd be _useful _to us here?! So no, I _DON'T _regret not fighting him for the sake of some stupid emotional baggage he can't get rid of! I _DON'T _regret leaving a liability behind, and not wasting my time or energy trying to convince him, in _any _way, to join us. He made his choices, he made his _mistakes_, and now, he has to live with the consequences."

"You left him to die!" Natalia yelled.

"Only if he keeps being an idiot. It wouldn't be _my _fault if he can't think outside the box. We may have the same form, we may share the same face, fonon frequency and even the same voice to an extent, but we are _not _the same person. If _he, _a trained soldier under Van Grants himself, can't figure out a way out of there, when there's _two _exits, then he doesn't deserve to live. He made his own choice, and continued to follow it. And if he can't handle what comes of it, that's no burden on _my _soul. Maybe if he wasn't such a dick to everyone around him, especially _himself_, I'd give a crap. But…Sensei was right. A man like that…even if he technically _is _your brother, isn't a man worth worrying about. He was perfectly content brute forcing his way through everything else up to this point. He can figure out a way to leave himself."

"The only reason why you won back then, was because of what _Zero _taught you." Tear pointed out coldly.

"And I've acknowledged that. Hell, I fully admit that back then he was-

Luke stopped, his mind unconsciously recalling the battle, and the events leading up to it.

"_What…what are you saying?!"_

"_Asch! No!"_

"_I'm saying you're my Replica!"_

"_No…that's a lie! Stop lying!"_

His eyes widened, as realization hit him.

"…you knew…" He whispered.

Tear's cold look morphed into one of confusion. "What?"

"You…_knew_. You knew what I was…or at least…had a heavy idea…and just like _Jade_, you didn't say anything!" He yelled at her.

Tear's own eyes widened, as her own memories of that day replayed themselves. She loosed a small gasp, as she remembered her words.

"L-Luke I-

"You _Lied _to me…and just like the rest, you treated me like-

He clamped down on his emotions.

"_Sometimes…you're gonna find stuff out. Stuff that has a major impact on your emotions. A lot of the time, Fate fucks with you, and does it right when you're either about to, or in the middle of doing something important. What you've gotta do, is look at what popped up, and decide whether or not it has relevance to what's going on at the time. if it does, apply the new information carefully, make sure it's accurate, and then use it. If it doesn't, slap a label on it, and shelve it to be looked at when the situation chain resolves. An emotional person is a random person. And while in some cases, random is useful, in most, you need straight truth."_

"Luke-

"Enough." He said, coldly. "We don't have time for this. Our goal is Van. After we deal with him…" For a moment, his control slipped. The feeling of betrayal returned. "…after dealing with him. I'll have no need to be around a liar like you." He walked away, focusing everything he had on controlling himself, his thoughts, and his feelings. None saw the lone tear of pain that slipped down his cheek.

Tear just blinked, horrified. She understood her own feelings…and she had begun to take a shine to him, especially since he'd changed from Akzeriuth. Zero's teachings and trainings helped shape Luke into a strong man…but she made a mistake. One she never bothered to correct, for she'd pushed _his _feelings out of her mind, and focused on making him _earn _her respect, when she had little true reason to push so hard. It was then, as she silently passed the others, knowing that there was little time to waste, that words she heard Zero speak to Luke, during their way to meet Guy outside the Aramis Spring, rung through her mind.

"_Everything we do…everything we say…leaves an echo on the world. The thing is, these echoes act as ripples, shaping the world around us. Every choice we make changes the way things interact, even slightly. Some resolutions are small, and insignificant, while others are large, and can change entire masses of land. These echoes link together, bounding off one another, creating a chain of events. That is why it's best to watch yourself, watch what you say and do, because even if it's not obvious, what you do has an impact on the future. Sometimes, these resolutions don't even occur until long after our lives end, but they still do. The key to setting everything up properly, is to understand how, and why these things happen. If you understand the beginning, and the end, then the middle will reveal itself."_

* * *

"Damn…we're pretty high up." Guy commented.

The group was on a single long rectangular stone slab that reached from what they assumed was the outer wall of Eldrant, to a single island in the center. Though Eldrant was currently embedded in the ground, they were still thousands of miles high off the actual earth. Weak winds buffeted at the group as they traveled. While not strong enough to cause proper imbalance, it still put the group on edge. Around them, other than the endless expanse of sky, were similar stone pathways.

"They're like chains…anchoring everything together." Natalia mused. The rest of the group had to agree as they pressed on.

"That's a looooong way down…" Anise muttered. She was trailing behind the group slightly, her smaller size weighing heavily in her mind, causing her to focus on not being blown away. She would have simply ridden Tokunaga, but considering the doll had no harness for her to grasp…

She didn't notice the shadow growing behind her. Luke turned around to see if she would catch up.

"ANISE LOOK OUT!" he suddenly yelled. Anise's head snapped up at his yell, the girl whirling around just in time for a large form to crash into her. She felt a soft fwump as a large avian creature slammed into her form, purposefully knocking her off the makeshift walkway. She screamed in fright, echoed by Natalia. Luke's eyes narrowed and he propelled himself off the walkway.

"LUKE!" Tear yelled in fright.

Mind made up, the red-haired teen reached behind him, grasping hold of the sword that Zero had given him, claimed from the remains of the spirit creature: Sword Dancer. Anise had her eyes shut, sadly accepting her death, the rushing winds keeping her from noting anything that was going on. A small tear escaped from her shut lids, a sob loosing itself from her chest.

Determined, Luke pulled back, grasping the hilt of his sword, before launching it forward. Seeing Luke act, Jade's eyes widened.

_No…he couldn't be thinking…_

_**"The thing about Shunpo is that it can be triggered just by touching a surface. Say there's a rockslide. Hundreds of boulders are falling towards your position, and someone or something you hold dear is falling with them. With Shunpo you would be able to bounce from boulder to boulder, just by touching them for a brief moment, to catch that which you desire."**_

Immediately, Jade whirled around.

Luke streamlined his body, so he was creating less wind resistance as he fell. His form reached Anise, as his thrown sword got caught in the slight winds that Luke was attempting to control. The sword stopped spinning, flattening itself like a board. It began to fly back up, the combination of its own light weight and Luke's weak manipulations allowing the wind to catch it. Anise gasped, feeling a pair of strong arms wrap around her form. Luke angled himself right up, his feet gently touching the blade.

"Tear! Throw your daggers! Now!"

Tear blinked for a moment, before the soldier part of her brain took over, recognizing an order from a superior officer, even if he was of a different army. Her body moved before her conscious mind could catch up with it, latching onto the hilts of her daggers hidden in her belt, before launching them one after another.

The others watched, as suddenly Luke's form vanished.

"No way!" Guy cried out.

As each silver glint streaked through the air, they saw Luke reappear for a moment, before vanishing again. He was using the Shunpo, the technique taught to him by Zero, to move at accelerated speeds, defying the hold of gravity, and the laws of physics, bounding from dagger to dagger, just by barely touching them with his feet.

_**"So…the Flash Step is like teleporting?"**_

_**"The speeds you reach are indeed similar, but it still requires contact with a solid surface…even if that surface doesn't **_**remain**_**solid."**_

_**"…" Luke thought for a moment. "So it's not because you're lighter…it's because you don't stay in one place long enough?"**_

He was almost there. He'd almost made it back up to the others…when bad things happened.

"I'M OUT!" Tear cried in horror.

"Dammit, just one more would have done!" Guy cursed.

"Guy! Hold me!" Natalia cried.

"Wh-what?!" _How could she be thinking of herself-_

"Just _fucking _do it!" She yelled, cursing for the first time that _any _of them knew. Snapped into action as the girl ran to the edge, drawing her bow, Guy's arms wrapped around her waist of their own accord, his brain heavily fighting the instinct to flinch. Tear and Jade watched in shock, as the girl tilted her torso forward, her hair framing her face, as her arm reached back and grabbed an arrow. Natalia bit her lip, focusing every thought on not screwing this up.

_I can't…I've already practically lost one Luke. I don't…_

_I can't handle losing another._

_Don't think…he said. Just do._

_For once…I'll listen to you, Zero._

In seconds, she'd notched her bow, and the arrow went flying.

Luke was ready to give up. He saw that Tear had stopped flinging daggers. He saw that there were no more gleams of silver heading his way, no more things to Step on. He was about to curse in frustration when he saw one more glimmer.

A single arrow was screaming towards him.

The shaft whistled as it literally sliced the air, rocketing straight down.

Luke held on to Anise tighter, as he tensed one last time. He took one Step, touching the last dagger Tear had thrown, before Stepping one last time. They watched, Luke vanishing, appearing…then vanishing once more. As his form appeared above them, they stepped backward, Guy gently pulling Natalia away from the edge, as Luke landed heavily.

They raced to him, hearing him whispering soft words of comfort to a sobbing Anise. She'd never truly feared for her life until then, and the experience almost broke her. She refused to let go, burying her face in his chest, clutching him with everything she had. Luke sighed softly, accepting the situation, and standing up, supporting Anise under her rear, allowing her to remain in her position.

Suddenly, he felt arms wrapping around him. He blinked as Natalia had buried her own face in his back, sobbing as well.

"Luke…you idiot…"

He was caught off guard, by the sudden change in her demeanor. So much that he couldn't help but relent in his justified irritation towards the princess.

"Sorry…"

* * *

For a time, it seemed like they had him on the ropes.

The first battle against Van was a joke. He couldn't keep up with any of them, even though their trek through the heart of Eldrant was a long and arduous one. Even Sync had put up more of a fight. Even with the group slightly reeling from the knowledge that Asch was now dead.

"_Dreck…don't fuck this up. Or I'll have to…kick…your…ass..."_

Zero had come through, his words that Van was now much weaker than he would have been originally, being truth.

Covered in gashes from multiple sword wounds, arrows sticking out of random parts of his body, bruises from where Tokunaga landed some heavy punches…Van was beaten. He stumbled to his feet, spitting out a mouthful of blood in the process.

And then everything changed.

Upon his forced synchronization with Lorelei, his wounds vanished, his energy spiked…

The battle started again. Much more even this time.

He was fast enough to keep up with Guy, but just barely too slow for Luke's Flash Step. However, Van's years of blade experience cancelled out Luke's speed advantage, the elder warrior's senses now restored to full, sharp enough to pinpoint where Luke would strike, moments before he did.

The powerful boost of Seventh Fonons gave Van an impossibly fast healing factor, so even when they landed a hit, if it wasn't hard enough, it would be recovered in seconds. The unison's power gave him even more control over the fonons around him, Van now able to cancel out an incoming spell just moments before impact. Even when Luke or Guy, or even Natalia acted as a distraction, unless it was timed _perfectly_, their spells wouldn't get through.

The man was desperate, and in that desperation, he grew stronger than Zero had predicted he would.

Tear tried to sing the Grand Fonic Hymn, but Van would emit a massive wave of force and stop it from happening. She would try again, Luke acting as distraction…but it wasn't enough. He could still stop her. In fact, he did it in a manner similar to how Zero proved it could be done.

He stopped the sound of her voice.

As long as Van was even partially able to focus, he could keep up a nullification field around Tear's throat, keeping her from singing that accursed song that would end all of his plans.

Anise held back, watching the others with a sad look on her face. She didn't rush in with Tokunaga as often as she'd wanted to, her skills as caster needed more…but now, it looked like nothing would be able to stop Van.

_We need something that can take his focus away from Tear. We need to hit him hard enough that even if for a second, he's in too much pain, or too surprised, to be able to keep his concentration up!_

Even as she set an array for the holy rays of Limited to rain down upon Van (which was sidestepped at the last moment, as he threw out his blade, deflecting Luke's overhead swing) she knew it wouldn't be enough. Only one thing would work. Well, two, but she didn't know how to get in contact with Zero. _Besides…this is our fight. He's done enough._

_No…_

She looked down, abandoning the spell she was readying as she realized what had to be done.

_I know what I have to do…_

She gently slid down Tokunaga's face, landing in front of the animated doll, which seemed to bow low behind her, as if it knew what was coming.

_It felt…so good…when he had me manipulate that clump of sand. It felt…familiar. And I understand why._

She closed her eyes, missing the blast of flame that erupted beneath Luke's feet, knocking him backward into the charging Guy, as a torrent of arrows flew past them, all being blocked by the flat end of Van's sword.

_The __**real **__reason why I was picked as Fon Master Guardian for the Replica Ion…_

Her double ended baton dropped to the ground with a soft clatter, drawing Jade's attention. His eyes narrowed as the little girl seemed to raise her hands slowly to her head, fingers pinching the yellow ribbons keeping her hair in pigtails.

_I've…been afraid all this time…afraid of myself…but…I have to do it. I can't let…this fear…remain. If I do…we'll never win, we'll never be free from Van's insanity._

She tugged on the scraps of cloth, the knots unbinding in an instant. Her hair dropped down, raven locks reaching down to the small of her back. Her head was bowed, fingers letting go of the cloth, the yellow streams fluttering away in the wind.

For a moment…Everything seemed to stop.

_I'm sorry…I've been lying to you all…all this time…_

_But…if we're going to be free…_

_I can't be afraid anymore. I have to let it all go…just like then…_

_Oh if only those stupid bitches could see me now…_

One of the strands flew in front of Van's face, making him blink, making all of them blink, and turn to the little girl.

One word, carried through the wind.

"…**Release**."

(BGM: Melty Blood Actress Again – Gigantic Power)

A massive shockwave ripped from the girl's body, her hair fluttering up from the kickback of the explosion of fonons that suddenly began spiraling around her. Van's eyes narrowed as a heavy wall of dust was kicked up by the sudden burst of energy. He held his arm in front of his face, they all did, eyes narrowed.

_**At the tender age of Five…a single child found herself surrounded by the essences of Light and Dark.**_

"What…the hell?" He spoke, confused.

The girl's clothes fluttered in the heavy winds created by the impressive level of force surrounding her. This…was her greatest secret. A secret only three people in the entire world knew, and that number had been reduced to One, through their journey.

The ground beneath them rumbled, as the power emitting from her body threatened to crumble the entire replica of Hod. Everyone was struggling against the winds formed by the release of five years worth of power stored up and locked away.

_**The power released from within, an answer, formed by the world due to the increasing strength and power of the Anomaly that had entered its realm years prior, erased the underground of a Holy Sect.**_

And just as suddenly as it came…the winds vanished. The air calmed…but the feeling of _something _being **different **remained. The air was filled with a cloak of dust, and as Van was readying to excise it, he suddenly leapt aside as a wall of light ripped through where he once stood. The force surrounding the blast of shine caused the dust curtain to be ripped apart, revealing Anise, head still bowed, hair fluttering as a strange mixture of black and white streams seemed to surround her.

Finally, she looked up.

Her amber eyes seemed to glow as she stared at Van, who just stared back, shocked out of his wits. She rose her right arm, and the man jumped to the left, dodging another wall of light. As he returned to look at the girl, he gasped.

She was right in front of him.

_**The child cried out, as the voice of the Realm invaded her mind, violated her soul. All because of the arrival of the Anomaly, and its growing strength. When the storm ended, her body having adjusted to the new pockets of energy that were housed within her soul, two beings were present. The leader of the Holy Sect, and his second.**_

A moment passed where neither moved, before he was suddenly blown away as a black wall appeared around her. He landed to his feet, pulling back and launching a Radiant Dragon. The black dome seemed to get sucked into one place behind her, as a slightly transparent shimmering white wall appeared in front of her. His attack crashed into the wall, and seemed to be absorbed by it.

"What?!" Not even _Luke _did something like that. And Luke had been pulling out unusual fonon manipulations during the fight.

_More._

The girl angled herself forward, wall seeming to bend and morph into a small sphere. She took a step, vanishing. Van rolled to the left, a pillar of light erupting from the ground where he stood. He threw his blade in front of him, flat end out, narrowly blocking a spear of black. However, the spear seemed to shudder, before bursting into a 'net' of darkness, which wrapped around the man, trapping him for a moment, before he flared his 'borrowed' stores of Seventh Fonon, and tore it to shreds.

_**From then on, the child who loved her hair to reach the ground, wore her hair up, signifying her restraint, her will to refuse the immense power she was given. She feared, she abhorred, but she never let go of that will. Until this day, she had pushed the memory of that power to the depths of her mind, never to be called upon again.**_

This action, however, cost him. He was unable to defend the wave of light that slammed into him, emitted from Anise's palm. Van crashed onto his back, rolling for a few moments, mind racing.

_What…She can't do that! How is she doing this?! She never showed this much aptitude for the first and sixth fonons before!_

Anise stared at him, either not noticing the gaping looks (a calculating one from Jade) or not caring.

_Just a little more._

"Luke." She called. "Get ready." Not bothering to check if he acknowledged her, she turned to Tokunaga, all the way across the battlefield. The man-sized doll seemed to rise under its own power, its button eyes flaring amber, rather than their natural mismatched red and green.

_**But the Anomaly changed that. The Anomaly brought Comprehension. It brought Understanding. It brought Knowledge. And the Anomaly did this all with the blessing of the Realm. For the Anomaly wished, for what the Realm wished. The continued survival of all upon its surface. It was this, that allowed the child to overcome her fears of 'self'. The Anomaly brought forth Change. And Change, brought forth Growth.**_

The doll took off, moving faster than it ever had before. As Van rose to his feet, he was barreled to the side by the unexpected impact from the charging doll. Kicking it off him, he was helpless when a burst of light slammed into his back from the ground. He rolled with the impact, landing on his feet, whirling around only to have Anise appear in front of him, fist glowing, and then buried in his gut.

"This…" She spoke, as she jumped back, landing on the head of the suddenly appearing Tokunaga.

"Is for _ION!_"

She stomped her foot, Tokunaga mimicking the action, creating a small crack in the ground. Tokunaga's fist glowed, as Anise pulled back.

_Wait…that's-_

* * *

After the spell ended, Anise suddenly once again found herself knocked off of Tokunaga, as Zero followed up with an earthen charged fist.

"Kurae! **Kouryuu Reppa!"** Immediately as he slammed his fist into Anise's chin, a hail of boulders slammed into her body as the two rose into the air.

* * *

"**STONE DRAGON ASCENT!"**

Tokunaga's fist glowed golden, just as it crashed into Van's chin, a whirlwind of boulders erupting from the ground and slamming into the man alongside the uppercut. Anise's arms flailed around, light ripping through the air and crashing into Van.

_Fire and Wind make Light…holy crap she's copying him!_

* * *

Zero quickly gathered another series of fonons, surprising everyone with his ability to suddenly chain two completely differing fonic ability fusions.

His wings turned to flame, before the flames surrounded his body. He twisted in the air, turning the motion into a continuous spin.

"**Kuuha Bakuendan!"**

* * *

She leapt off of Tokunaga as it twisted itself around.

"**CYCLONE BLAZE!"**

A wall of fire erupted around the doll, its spinning body drilling into Van's torso, searing flames licking at the man's flesh. He yelled out in agony at the assault, his defenses weakened by the girl's first strike.

"NOW LUKE!" She called out.

In two Steps, Luke had appeared behind Van. As he moved, he focused energy into his right hand, now glowing red.

"RAGING BLAST!"

In a small explosion of fonons, Van was sent rocketing to the ground.

"Tear!"

The young woman gasped, suddenly finding her throat no longer obstructed.

And finally.

She sang.

Zero watched silently, as the pillar of light erupted from the horizon. He let himself go, as Arietta stood beside him, transfixed by the sight. He felt the currents of the air shift as Luke's power fully unlocked itself.

_It's time…_

As he thought these words, a feeling arose in his heart. A powerful emotion, one that was both his…and not.

_**Was yea ra chs sarla oz cenjue sos ciel…**_

* * *

**A/N:** Here it is. The end of the game plot. Now, _my _plot can finally begin. And ooooh boy it's gonna be nuts. Hell the next part…well…you'll see.

And yes. Anise's sudden massive power _will _be explained. Further.

CF: yes. Yes you do. Especially now that _my _plot is beginning.

And no, I'm not telling anyone what any of the unknown language means. To say, would be to give too much away at this early point. Though next chapter…hehehehe…


	10. Tower

_**Many years ago…there was an Anomaly. An unknown soul appeared on her surface, the Fates bringing it from another realm. She bode her time, and when the Anomaly recovered, she made to remove it from her form.**_

_**But it struck back. She recoiled at the force of its rage. She then opted to study the Anomaly. To watch as it grew. And grow it did. She grew fearful, for though it was not of her, it could wield her rules as its own.**_

_**She determined it to be a threat, and moved to stand against it. She gave Power, to a child. A child who was destined to cross paths with the one chosen by her final Child. She knew, from the Anomaly's dreams, that their paths would cross. But how, was the unknown.**_

_**But then the Anomaly did something that surprised her. It willingly opened its heart and soul to her. Being what she was, she took advantage of this opening, and peered into its very essence.**_

_**And within, she found her movements to be ones of regret. Upon communing with this unknown soul, she learned its origins, its desires. It wanted peace, it wanted love…it wanted change. She grew…unhappy. While this soul was not born of her, it spoke to her in a way that not even her own creations could. It sought understanding, while they chose what they wanted to understand, and rejected all else.**_

_**She granted its wish, its dream of flight, in the process, giving it some of her essence as well. She had learned, while it was not of her, it was a free, open soul. She imbued it with some of her power, much like she gave the child. For this soul knew what was to occur on her form, and desired her continued existence, if only for the sake of its love.**_

_**She expected it to stop speaking to her, once his plan was put into action. But it continued. It willingly sought her out, before performing nearly any task. It would act in the time between moments, to speak with her, to ask how much force he needed to place into his will, before her form would resonate and respond. It would converse with her, speak to her its full desires, and give her complete details of the result it wished to bring forth.**_

_**And she enjoyed it. It sung to her, a song of comprehension, of companionship. Even the Original Songstress did not connect with her as deeply as this Anomalous Soul, even during Her communication with her Last Child. This unknown soul sung to her, and she would sing back. She came to enjoy feeling his will become real, witnessing how this outside being wielded her power, the very essence of creation she gave to all of her children, even though he wasn't of her. He performed acts that until he appeared, only she was capable of.**_

_**And he did it all out of love. Love for the Beast Girl. This, was something she could understand. For all the changes she brought, was out of love for her children. However, some of the changes had outcomes she didn't expect, such as the deadly miasma. While it allowed her to bring the souls of her children back into her collective, it did so on too wide a scale. But she watched as the one chosen by her Last Child acted, how the Anomalous Soul's presence changed even that outcome.**_

_**And then, the second anomaly appeared. however, this, was Home Born. The anomaly known as Vandestelca Musto Fende had captured the essence of one of her Children, and forced it to merge with himself. But even then, a plan was created and acted upon. The chosen of her Last Child, the Sacred Flame, did battle with the second anomaly, not long after she had finally touched the consciousness of the First. While her words were warped, and difficult to hear, she knew the Anomalous Soul had received her will.**_

_**She knew what would come. The process known to the humans as the Planet Storm, had been forcefully stopped, many changes brought about to facilitate the flows of her power, had been undone, causing an echo that would lead to the end of her form.**_

_**And this was something neither she, nor the Anomalous Soul desired. With the Planet Storm no longer in effect, the particles of her essence classified by the humans as Fonons, would cease to replenish. Eventually, the energy would be used up, and all that would be left would be dead particles, that would eventually collapse into a corruption even worse than the Miasma.**_

_**But the Anomalous Soul was brought to this world for a reason. It was no fool. It had already come up with a new desire. Its true wish, was for a world its beloved could exist upon.**_

_**And upon sensing its new desire, she knew, that she had made the right choice the year prior, when she heeded the call sung by the soul who resonated tones similar to those sung by the Original Songstress. But she needed time. Time to prepare herself for the change they would bring. The humans would be fine. As would the majority of life upon her form. However, she needed to prepare. Her consciousness, her essence, her very being, would be changed. For while a new regulation system would be created, it would be…different.**_

_**But that time had come. She had prepared…and now, after having spent the last five months training his new students, the Beast Girl and the Sky Maiden, it was time. Their plan would require the existence of the Descendant of the Original Songstress…but it would come to fruition.**_

_**After all…**_

_**Not even the Gods, have an easy time of it, when attempting upon defying the will of a Planet.**_

* * *

"Why…why are you doing this?!"

She cried out to her captor, a man whom she'd traveled with, trusted and fought both alongside and against. A man who claimed solely to seek the continued existence of his love, and the world they lived upon. She couldn't move her body, the gravitational field around her binding her motions. She wanted to shiver in the cold winds atop the now somehow completed tower, as her bare flesh was assaulted by biting chill.

Her captor said nothing, focusing on attaching the required objects to random parts of her body. A few soft cloth pads with strands of wire attached to them were placed on her form, their purpose to draw out her energy and convert it into something usable.

"Answer me Zero!"

Zero looked up at her, staring intently. Her scowl had a slight blush added to it, as he was beholding _all _of her, something she only wanted _one _person to do, and it wasn't he. She wished she could struggle, she wished she could cover herself, but she couldn't. Her entire body was exposed for him to see. Every inch.

"Because I have to." Was the simple response.

Nothing made sense. He appeared to her suddenly, before easily binding her with his unique brand of fonon manipulations. It wouldn't be the first time she'd cursed his ability to manipulate gravity through his own special practices. He'd then somehow transported her to the Tower of Rem, which was now sporting noticibly _less _holes in it, before ripping her clothes off, quite literally, and sticking her within a glowing glyph at the center of the highest point on the tower.

Now, he was placing those strange objects all over her body, connected to the ground, no doubt further to some unknown device within the tower itself.

_Why would he __**have **__to? What the hell is going on?_

"Tear. Your end…will bring about a new beginning. I honestly wish I could use someone else, but you're the only one."

…_END?!_

"…so you're going to kill me. Then why go through all this?!"

He stepped back, appraising her from all angles again.

"Incredible. Really. You've got an amazing body. Damn, almost wish I was in Luke's place."

She remembered a lesson he once gave her, after watching the group take down a few soldiers.

* * *

"Tear…you move like a guy."

"What?!"

"Do you really have no idea how to fight like a woman?"

"I fight like a soldier. My gender doesn't matter."

The conversation had gathered the attention of the others.

"Yeah, you fight like a soldier with something dangling between his legs. You're a woman Tear. You should really act like one."

"I keep trying to tell her-

"Not a frilly pretty princess like you woman." He barked at Natalia. "A _**woman**_. Honestly, did Regret teach you nothing?"

Tear scowled. "Well fine, if you're such an **expert** at it, then why don't _you_ tell me." She mocked, thinking that as a man, he wouldn't understand a thing about how to fight as a woman.

"Well for starters…those." He pointed at her chest. She immediately crossed her arms in front of her impressive bust, flushing both in embarrassment and indignation.

"And what do my breasts have to do with anything in battle?!"

"A lot actually. Improper support and security sends those things bouncing around, which would actually explain the tight outfit you wear. But no. they have a use. Haven't you noticed most of your opponents are male? Replica, natural, it doesn't matter. Most men, at least the heterosexual ones, have a weakness for boobs."

"I'm NOT FLASHING-

"Really now, let me finish. Show a little more skin and you'll have the guys distracted, but that's not the point, that's just where it starts."

He Stepped behind her, kneeling down and making an obvious show of staring both at her rear, and her legs. She shrieked and was about to move, when Zero held out a hand, causing her to topple over.

"…not what I was aiming for but it works. Turn your head Tear."

She looked back at him, mortified.

"See, one thing you and Regret share, besides the amazing ass, is your legs. You both have very powerful looking legs." He tapped one, testing the density of the muscle.

"Yeah. Not yet good enough for Shukuchi, but Shunpo wouldn't be too far outside your capabilities to be honest. But not only that, these here are kicking legs. Not to mention, the lack of a dangly bit at your crotch increases your split range, which means you can extend farther before your body starts to protest." He released the field, letting her stand up immediately, before he stepped behind her again, as she had whirled around, and grabbed her by the waist.

"Work this a bit, and you'll be able to tune your body into getting used to bending in odd ways, giving you a much wider range of evasion than most men, since while similar, there's specific genetic differences between us that makes men less likely to be as flexible, even in just the waist area, than a woman. The size of your breasts actually while a slight cushion for chest attacks, is actually a downside, considering that any vaguely angled movements will end up with someone just chopping your tits off, rather than say an arm. Neither being an outcome you _want_."

He slid around next to her, moving so smoothly that it looked like he simply shimmered from one place to the next. She was paralyzed both from just outright embarrassment, slight confusion, _**and now that she was looking back on it, pleasure, that SOMEONE finally had the balls to touch her in intimate places, even if it had a more serious purpose**_. He gently lifted an arm, running his fingers along it, causing her to shiver.

"don't have much strength here…reaction time yes…obviously you've wired yourself to be able to fling those things as fast and as accurately as you do. I know you're primarily a caster, but you move like a man so much its disgusting. Not only are you a woman, but you've been blessed and cursed with having an incredible body, which you keep in _very _good shape."

"I'm not going to act like…like a _slut_!"

He rolled his eyes. "Really now, are you _that _big a prude that the slightest thought of wielding yourself in an even _vaguely _sexual manner gets that response? I'm not saying waltz up to a guy and slather yourself all over him, I'm saying that with the right moves, a slight shift of posture every now and then, you'll get a person distracted enough to be taken down easily. On top of that, if you moved more like a woman, we wouldn't have to dash back here so often to cover your ass when someone attacked you."

She glared at him before the last sentence registered.

"…how?"

"Women are different from men, much different. While eventually they can gain the same strength and brute force capabilities as a man is naturally based on, they're originally born for finesse, speed and dexterity. On top of that, as natural born mothers, they have a closer connection to the world than a man naturally does. Which is why girls make the strongest casters, more often than not. I've seen women soldiers, women who've gone to wars, and won their battles by _not getting hit_. Not because people were coming back to draw enemy attention, but because they _moved._ I've seen women spreading their legs like they were asking for a plowing, and then angling their bodies to catch an enemy's weapon with their feet, before pushing off their hands, twisting in the air, ripping that fucker out of their opponent's hands and slicing off their heads in one smooth motion.

I've seen girls pull off shit that even _I _wish I could do. They can bend, twist, and contort in ways I can only imagine, and each movement can be used in the midst of battle, hell I've seen girls do that crap and then follow up with a high level spell right after. Shit, I've seen women turn their _hair _into weapons!"

That caused everyone to blink.

"Look Tear, you've got the body for it. Start holding yourself less like a damn soldier and more like a _woman_, and you'd be surprised how much _easier _it is to flow in battle. It takes a guy _forever_ to train himself to flow properly, because we're naturally inclined for brute force. A woman? She's got a step up. And while force is occasionally needed…women embody Water more often than they do hard Rock, like a man. And we _all _know what **water** is capable of."

* * *

She gathered her will. "…so, you like what you see then?"

Zero blinked. And then laughed. She frowned as he laughed long and hard. "Oh, oh man. That's a good one. Come on Tear, if I wanted to get between your legs, do you really think I'd have waited until _now?_ Actually I'm kinda glad this particular ritual doesn't require an exchange of bodily fluids…" He trailed off.

"No…as _tempting_ as the thought is…I've had Noelle before, and outside of the training, she's not _too _much different from your body type. Chest is a bit smaller but that doesn't really matter. Especially since she's obviously read so many damn trashy novels that she's got the subconscious knowledge, if lack of experience, as of what to do in bed. While you…you're a total friggin prude Tear."

She flushed in irritation and huffed. _There goes that plan_.

"Sides…I think Luke would want the honor of being your first."

She blinked. _…that doesn't make sense._ "What happened to this being my **end**?"

He just smiled at her. "You'll just have to find out."

* * *

They'd looked everywhere. Nobody knew where she was. But they couldn't look any longer. Time was up. They all proceeded to Tataroo Valley. Arietta had accompanied them.

"Zero's been missing for the last couple months. I know he treats Luke like a brother. Maybe he'll show up there."

As the group waited at the very spot that Tear and Luke had materialized at the beginning of their journey, Arietta held Mieu. The little Cheagle was grabbed along the way, with the thought that he would want to see Luke again. The little creature was fidgeting, however.

"Why are you not still, little one?"

"Something…feels strange…" It muttered back to Arietta's whisper. Noelle frowned at that, sitting next to Arietta and overhearing the conversation.

"Yes…I feel it too…"

And then…a form appeared. A red-haired man, locks reaching down to his back, approached the group, soft smile on his face.

"Before the greetings start, who are you?" Arietta spoke clearly.

"I…am **Luke fon Fabre**."

Arietta smirked. "Good answer. But really."

"Both."

Arietta nodded. That was the outcome Zero had said he put his cards behind.

"Welcome back…Luke." Guy said, the two embracing like brothers.

"While this _should _be a joyous occasion…we…have a bit of a problem." Jade hesitantly spoke.

"…problem?"

"Tear's missing Luke." Guy said bluntly. "We looked everywhere for her…but…"

"MASTER!" Mieu suddenly screeched out, causing everyone to jump. His eyes were widened beyond belief, his body trembling.

"M-Mieu?" Luke blinked.

"Master! Fonons! Lots and Lots of FONONS!" the creature cried out.

"Wh-huh?"

"Which one, little one?" Arietta asked.

"ALL OF THEM!"

That caused everyone to blink. They blinked again when Mieu gasped.

"TEAR!"

Immediately all of them focused on the cheagle.

"I can feel Tear!"

Natalia was extremely confused. "You can _feel _Tear? What ever do you mean?"

"Tear! Tear is that way!" Mieu pointed to the south-west, just as a massive flare of light emitted from that direction. It was extremely far off in the distance, but it lit up the sky like a large star.

"I…what was that light?" Anise asked.

"I don't know." Luke responded, gripping his blade. "But if Tear is that way…then she might be where that light was. Mieu, can you still feel-

"She's in pain! I can hear her screams! I can taste her fear! Master we have to hurry!"

"Wow…that wasn't morbid at all." Noelle muttered sarcastically, holstering her guns, which she drew subconsciously when Mieu began his freak-out.

* * *

The group had immediately taken off in the Albiore, following Mieu's senses. Surprisingly, he was a good compass. They blazed past Chesedonia, and over the Zao Ruins, where Jade had thought the light emitted from. Mieu just shook his head violently, before continuing to point forward.

Jade reasoned then, to the others, that he thought maybe it had something to do with the Sephiroth again. As they flew over the ocean, the light grew brighter.

"The Tower of Rem? Tear is there?"

"S-so many…fonons…" Mieu began muttering, as if possessed. He shuddered, then passed out.

"Guys…I'm getting _really _twitchy here." Arietta spoke.

"Uhh?" Was the question posed by Anise.

"Zero put us through some tests while he was training us. If Arietta starts getting twitchy, that means something powerful is nearby. And I'm talking Gold Dragon levels of powerful. If her aura flares up, it means it's something capable of easily killing her." Noelle explained from the pilot seat.

And not a moment after she said that, Arietta's body glowed a soft pink.

"…formless…something _really _strong is there. It's not enough to get me nervous, but it's pushing the limit."

"Guys! We have a problem! There's some sort of barrier around the top of the tower! I can't get any closer at this altitude!" The blonde called out.

"Can we land?"

"Uhh…yeah." She looked at what appeared to be a designated landing spot. _Why do I have the feeling…you have something to do with this, Zero?_

Her thoughts were brought about by a massive slab of land with the words **AIRSHIP GO HERE **carved into it.

* * *

"These are…fontech machines…" Guy said, running his hands along a metal casing.

"Nerd out later Guy! We have to keep going!"

The group had began climbing the tower. The elevator shaft seemed to be converted into some sort of giant mechanism of unknown use. Massive wires were everywhere, as strands of light seemed to occasionally run through the walls. They were expecting some sort of monster type to exist…but nothing was there. Nothing save for the humming of energy.

"Is it just me…or does this place look…cleaner?" Anise spoke.

The others agreed, even with the changes in the tower, a lot of the holes were patched up, even the layout was different, with more pathways through the center, but not directly. A massive pillar of metal was where the elevator used to be, the pillar reaching all the way to the top of the tower. Large rods were sticking out of it, occasionally glowing at odd intervals. When they reached the area of the tower that used to still be under construction, they were surprised to see it have been entirely demolished, replaced with a winding staircase leading to a large plate above them. The metal shaft seemed to stop just below the plate, as the stairs led to a hatch above. Anise and Arietta glanced outward, noting that there was a glass pane protecting them from the winds…but other than the brilliant light coming from above…

"…it's beautiful…" Arietta muttered, never having the chance to look at the world from above.

"I think this is it." Luke said. He pushed a button, and a metal hatch above them slid open. Light filtered through.

The group climbed the last stairs and found-

"TEAR!"

She was floating in a slightly transparent bubble at the center of the plate. She was groaning, in obvious pain, as energy seemed to swirl around her naked body. Luke took a Step, trying to reach her, only to slam into a _very _familiar barrier.

"Sorry…but I can't let you do that Luke."

Zero appeared from behind the glowing orb.

"Damn…is it that time already? Fuck. I knew taking that nap was a bad idea."

"Sen…sei?" Luke was stunned. "S-sensei…what's going on?"

"I'm sorry Luke…"

"Sensei…wait…_you _took Tear?!" Zero nodded.

"Why?!"

"I need her…"

"But…you're _hurting _her!"

"…killing…is more like it." Was the correction.

"Killing…WHY?!"

"I need her _life_, in order to finish this plan. Believe me when I say I wish it could be someone else…but…"

"I…I won't let you."

"…I had a feeling you'd say that." He sighed. "Damn, and here I was hoping to be _done _before you came back. So _close _to pulling it off without interruption too…" He shook his head.

"Oh well…just goes to show that nobody can try to change the world without something coming along and throwing a wrench in your plans…"

"_Change the world_?! Have you lost your mind?! What you gonna pull a Van on us now?!" Guy yelled.

"Pfft, that simple minded fool? Please. What _**I'm **_doing is far beyond anything he could have thought up. No…he wanted to _destroy _the world. I'm simply _changing _something."

"And that something just so happens to require the death of the last Fende." Jade snarked.

"Unfortunately. It makes sense though…considering _what _she is."

"Tear…is _not _an object!"

"Never said she was, Luke. Look…obviously talking isn't going to get us anywhere. And I'm _not _letting you at that sphere. And there's still too much time left until things complete…so. Since I doubt you're gonna stand there and listen to your not-girlfriend scream louder than she will on her honeymoon night…"

Another barrier popped up. This one resembling blue wispy flames, with its radius around the edges of the plate. The appearance of that barrier confused Noelle. _Why set something like that, if he's gonna kill us? He can fly, we can't. Why would he want to make things easier for __**us**__? Dammit Zero…even thinking like you, I can't figure you out…_

Everyone drew their weapons.

"You gonna fight me too, Ari?" he said, noticing the girl with the group.

"…you vanish for five months without a word. You kidnap Tear, hold her naked in some bubble, and now, you're gonna kill her after doing _who _knows what to her? I don't know what happened to you…but I'm _definitely _gonna beat it out of you!"

He surprised everyone when he smiled.

"That's my girl. I wouldn't have it any other way. You're wrong, of course, but that's because of a lack of information. Information I'd _like _to tell you…but…well, you'll understand when everything's over."

A small flash, and his six wings had appeared.

"Well then…since you're challenging…I declare first attack!"

* * *

_Shit! His sword can resonate enough to block out my manipulations! I can't bind him with him holding that damn thing!_

Zero quickly found himself in a much more even battle than he'd anticipated. While his greatest threat was still mostly Luke, with Noelle knowing how he thought, and both she and Anise having trained with him personally, his opponents had a much wider range of being able to take him down.

On top of that, Zero learned that the Key of Lorelei could stop his gravitational fields.

_It's not that I'm controlling gravity…damn. I'm only weaving the fonons in a way that it simulates the effect of a gravitational field. People and things like that damn sword can block the base fonons I use to make a command, and make my attempts useless! On top of that, the fucking thing can cut through my AT field? Fucking…broken-ass weapons!_

Natalia's arrows and Noelle's bullets only served as minor irritants. The glowing shield he sported around himself when he fought them all in Arietta's name long ago was more than enough to deflect that. But he had to focus in order to absorb or block any of Jade's spells, and his barrier was easily ignored by Luke's blade. What was worse for his luck, is that they were all working together extremely well. He landed plenty of hits, spells and traps, but they were easily forcing him to calculate and re-calculate his moves, far too often.

_Something's not right here_. After watching him struggle to block an oncoming Searing Sorrow from Noelle, Arietta dropped back for a moment, to properly analyze.

_He's stronger than this. Even blindfolded and only allowed to use one element, and no wings, he was still kicking our butts. It can't be that he's not trying to kill us…_

She unlocked her Fonic Sight, deciding to take a proper _look_ at things.

_His fonons are going…somewhere else?! His wings are spitting out a lot more than they usually do. It's not being properly regulated in the slightest! On top of that, he's supporting the barrier around Tear, __**and **__that barrier around the tower, along with the new barrier around the plate?! No wonder he's not at his best, he's focusing almost all his power towards everything __**but **__us! What the hell are you doing Zero?!_

Suddenly, he stopped. There was an unusual glyph beneath Zero's feet. Luke and Guy had backed off, sprinting away as the array formed.

…_boundary field? Even with me crapped out this thing can't-_

"I who stand in the full light of the heavens, command thee to open the gates of hell!"

_SHIT! I totally forgot he could pull that out! Well I can-…no…no I can't. I can't dodge. It's improperly formed, this much energy attuned to his wavelength could mess everything up. No…but I can't block…well…maybe…_

"Come forth, divine lightning!"

_I've got one shot at this. And it's a fucking longshot._ Zero placed his left hand over his right wrist. _I can't draw from the world around, he's already doing that. This damn array is already converting everything above and around us to his wavelength. But that's alright…I've practiced pulling this out from myself a long time ago…I can do this…I __**have**__ to do this…_

"THIS ENDS NOW!"

Massive dark clouds had gathered overhead. Flickers of light could be seen arcing along them. The swirling grey fluffs were crackling with energy…

But all they heard was a series of chirping noises, coming from Zero's location.

"**INDIGNATION!"**

The clouds dumped their payload, a massive bolt of violet light. As it ripped through the air, barreling down upon Zero, he flung his right hand up, covered in crackling blue-white energy.

"**CHIDORI!"**

As the two forces met, there was a brilliant flash that caused everyone to cover their eyes and a massive wall of dust as the force of the connection created a small explosion. As the dust cleared, they all stared as Zero was literally holding a massive bolt of violently crackling purple lightning. That alone deserved shock. But the shock deepened, as the violet bolt slowly changed into the same blue-white that was emitting from his hand, before it shrunk, getting absorbed into the crackling field surrounding his palm.

_Im…possible…_

Jade was gaping at the sight. While he was struggling, Zero _still _managed to pull off something unbelievable. Not only did he clash forces with the most powerful lightning spell in the world, but he blocked it. And on top of that, converted it to fit _his _wavelength, and as if that weren't enough, he had just then, finished absorbing all that energy into himself.

_T-too much! I can't hold it! Gotta spit it out __**NOW!**_

They watched him whirl around, and roar in both pain and exertion as he flung his now blindingly glowing arm out towards Tear. Discharging the energy, a **massive **beam of blue-white power ripped from his palm, slamming into the sphere around the naked girl. A horrifyingly agonizing scream ripped from her throat as the energy was absorbed by the barrier, then focused inward upon her. As the stream of power ended, his arm limply dropped to his side.

_That…was a bitch. On the flip-side…_

He turned around, giving a weary, but cocky smirk to the stunned group.

_That definitely sped up the conversion process…I think I just cut off almost all the remaining wait time._

He fanned his wings out again.

_Wish I could'a kept some of that for myself…but…_

_It's just a little longer._

* * *

He flew up, dodging a spire of earth summoned by Jade. He ascended high into the air, weaving the fonons around him, creating a small curtain of light between his hands. Something flared in the back of his mind. An instinct born of years of practice. He canceled the intended formula, and shifted it in an instant, whirling around with a blade of light in hand, to just barely block a re-forming Luke, whose own sword was brought down upon Zero. The two clashed, before Zero relented, allowing the force of Luke's swing to force him back toward the ground.

He fanned his wings out, catching himself before he slammed into the rocky spike created by Jade before. A wave of his hand and the spire burst into fragments, creating a wall of sand that was melted into a shimmering glass pane from a heavily charged ray of light jutting from between Arietta's hands. He shattered the glass wall, sending it whirling around and mostly flying towards a charging Guy's face, before catching and crushing an arrow headed for his skull, then calling a quick chain to materialize from the ground, to trip up Tokunaga before it could deliver the haymaker it was readying.

However, all that was enough of a distraction for Luke to make his final move. In two steps, he had appeared in front of Guy, just as Noelle launched a small stream of fire at Zero, who weaved the currents of air around him to cause it to snuff out before it reached him. Luke appeared right behind Zero, who whirled around just in time to see a glowing red fist heading right for him.

…_god…dammit._

And with a final blow, Zero was sent flying backward, crashing into his own barrier, before dropping on all fours. His wings flickered and shattered like fine glass upon impact with the ground. He attempted to stand, before clutching his chest, and coughing out a hefty amount of blood.

"Gotten…stronger…Luke…" He shook his head, hair matted to his forehead from sweat.

"No…all of you…"

"Give up Sensei! You've lost! Now let Tear go!" Luke yelled. While he was hurting inside, both from Zero's betrayal, and from the assault on the man he'd call brother, he pushed it away.

Zero remained silent.

_Was this…all pointless? Was my dream…to make a home for Arietta…and myself…was it all pointless? Was my wish…to change this world…to give my love…the strength to keep her safe from beings like myself…_

_Was it all a waste?_

"No…"

_I can't give up here. I have to keep going. The Tower is almost complete. Just a little more. I just need to hold on a little longer…_

"I won't…stop here…" He slowly climbed to his feet, blood dribbling down his chin, body swaying with instability.

"Not…when…I'm so…close…" He dropped to his knees again.

_My heart and soul can desire all they want, but if my body can't follow through…_

"Not…yet…" He whispered, silent tears running down his cheeks. It's not that he _wanted _to fight his friends, let alone Arietta and Noelle, but his dreams brought them to a clash of ideals. Much like with Van.

_The difference being…I know __**exactly **__what I'm doing. I __**have **__support. I just…need a bit more time…I need to hold them off a little longer…_

"Zero! Stop! Please! You'll **kill **yourself if you push any harder! I don't know what you were trying to do but it doesn't matter now! Just please, give up!" Arietta cried out.

"Just…a little…" He began falling forward.

"…more…"

He collapsed. Unmoving. Arietta screamed his name, running towards him.

"**Lhyasa pass Was yea ra chs hymmnos yor, en chsee fwal fwal yor. Ini en exec lhyasa tonelico XENMARU."**

Arietta froze as she heard that unintelligible phrase, spoken by an unseen voice. The moment she stopped, a massive glowing light appeared beneath Zero, taking the form of the glyph of Chaos. His body seemed to lift off the ground, surrounded by an otherworldly glow. Six rays of light shot from his back, before two more appeared. All eight rays burst into tiny orbs of light, revealing eight glowing prismatic wings. His body righted itself, as his skin seemed to darken in color, becoming a more chocolate brown. His hair fluttered around him, a few strands streaking a pure white.

His eyes opened, revealing glowing red eyes.

"That's it!" Luke yelled recognizing the sound. "That's the voice I heard back on Eldrant!"

"**We cannot fall here." **The voice returned, speaking through Zero's mouth. **"Our wish will not be denied. Prepare yourselves, children of Man. For the world as you know it shall change."**

His body was healed. All wounds seemed to vanish before their eyes. The blood dried and chipped away, vanishing. Arietta took a step back, her Beast Aura flaring up on its own accord, her instincts screaming that this was something she did _not _want to fight.

For there would be no victory.

"Even after all this, you won't give up will you?! And to think, we called you a friend." Guy said angrily.

"**Foolish mortal." **Those words caused Arietta to blink. Something was different here. **"You speak of matters you know nothing about. Our task must be completed. Your efforts against the Anomaly known as Vandestelca Musto Fende are appreciated, however, you stand before an event that must take place. Unlike Vandestelca Musto Fende, this one has our full support, for his desire for change mirrors our own."**

"Who are you?! Get out of my boyfriend!" Arietta yelled.

"**Out? Silly child, we are bonded together. There is no 'out' unless you desire his end. His soul is connected to ours, and We are the masters of this world. He desires change upon this world, a simple change, one that while granting him even more power, will also bring forth stability, balance. And it is this power, and balance that will be required for the trials to come. Yet you challenge him, you challenge us, for the sake of your friend, regardless of the outcome? Folly. Your ends will not come today, but you shall soon see how powerless you are against a God."**

Zero's body seemed to stretch out, as the many voices spoke through his mouth.

"**AULDRANT tab ADDR:0x011:0737:0501 :: jYEwA INFINITIA!"** (From Auldrant I entrust myself to the address 0x011:0737:0501 in Infinitia)

A scream of pure agony ripped from Tear's throat as Zero seemed to glow with a heavily prismatic shine. The field he was using against the others before this sudden transformation, returned, only far denser and more powerful than before.

"**hmm…let's make this interesting."** The voices spoke. They waved Zero's arms around in an intricate pattern, before a dome of black appeared. As the darkness stripped itself away-

"M-Mary?"

Guy's long since dead sister, Mary had appeared, holding a small sword and shield. She stared at her brother with disappointed eyes.

"Why do you stand in our way, Gailardia? Why do you stand against the very desire of the world?"

"M-Mary…Tear-

"Is the sacrifice of just one single life not small enough to change the world? It isn't the death of the many, nor even the few. But just one. One end, to create a brand new beginning."

"Mary, you have to understand-

"No Gailardia…it is you, who must understand." She readied her blade, and in a blur of movement, had nearly severed Guy's head from his neck. He had leaned back and jumped away just in time.

"This…must be done, to secure the continued existence of this world."

Another black sphere appeared. From within emerged another familiar shape.

"I..on…?" Arietta spoke, eyes wide.

The usual gentle features of the Fon Master were formed into a heavy frown.

"N-no. You're dead. You're dead twice…three times over! You can't be anything but an illusion!" Arietta grew enraged that this…_thing_ would dare impersonate her Ion.

"You have to stop this, Arietta. Anise. You can't win here."

"Win? I don't want to _win._ I want my Zero back! And no replica or copy of even _you _is going to stand in my way Ion!" She'd long since accepted his end. After spending time with Zero, he nursed her feelings, challenged her emotions and will, until she understood and grew. The pink haired girl lashed out with a blast of darkness that took the form of a Negative Gate spell. Ion stepped away from the well of inverse power, before flinging his own hand out, a holy glyph appearing beneath the girl, erupting into a pillar of light as she leapt to the side.

While Guy fended off his sister, trying his hardest to wrap his mind around what just happened, and Anise and Arietta were being held at bay by the arrival of Ion, Luke, Jade, Natalia and Noelle all charged Zero's form. Noelle's shots seemed to bounce off a slightly transparent glow around Zero, as Jade's fonic manipulations, weaved into spells, failed to fully manifest, the shimmer around the winged warrior dissipating the gathered fonons before they could trigger. Natalia's arrows met the same fate as Noelle's fonon pellets, and even Luke's sword was unable to penetrate the field, the power of the Key of Lorelai not strong enough to break through.

A wave of his hands, and Luke was launched backward, before being bound by heavy steel chains that erupted from the ground. He struggled, attempting to call up his own Hyperresonance, to shred the metal, before a torrent of electricity lanced through his body, distracting Guy with his sudden yell. The moment of inattention caused Guy to be bashed in the face by his sister's round shield, and he instinctively flowed with the motion, before impaling the woman on his own blade. He froze in horror, as her body slowly became limp.

"Gailardia…please…stop this…pointless battle…" She whispered, as her form glowed, before bursting into hundreds of small particles of light. Her soul returned to the cycle, the unknown entity's purpose for her having been fulfilled.

Noelle did a series of back-handsprings, evading the sudden spires of earth that ripped out of the ground, lancing for her position. She delayed the push on one, having an odd feeling that something was off. She was right to follow her senses, as a spire appeared behind her, right where she _would _have been. She pushed off her hands, before kicking off the spire, whipping her arms around and lashing out with a Searing Sorrow. The massive sphere of condensed flame ripped through the air, before it was suddenly blown apart, nowhere near Zero's form. She scoffed, watching as Natalia notched three bows at once, stepping to the left before a Field of Fonons erupted beneath her feet, setting the tips alight as she fired them. There was a ripple of air, and all three arrows were deflected, but that left Zero open for Jade's spell to take effect.

As he cast the collective known as Prism Sword, the crystal blades dropping around Zero's form, his eyes narrowed as the holy blades seemed to become filled with darkness before his very eyes. They lifted from the ground, the field they were emitting being broken as they did so, and all rocketed towards him. He rolled away, as they tore through the air where his torso was only microseconds before.

Anise had tapped, surprising both Arietta and Ion at the same time. But even with her now fully unlocked powers, the two girls were still struggling to keep up with him.

He wasn't the Fon Master for nothing.

Even with their boosted abilities, they were being worn down. His small stature made it easier for him to dodge the strikes from Arietta's Beast Aura, and his command over the fonons around him made it difficult for any of Anise's weavings to keep their effect, let alone properly hit him. It wasn't until Arietta had a sudden stroke of genius, the idea to launch her 'paws' into the ground and have them appear underneath him, did they finally pin him down.

Stuck between two ethereal claws, Ion tried to gather the fonons required for his clone's signature technique, Akashic Torment. Unluckily for him, Anise had summoned a massive wall of dark energy, which shattered into hundreds of small spears. Swinging her arms down, the miniature lances all perforated the Fon Master, Ion giving both a pained yell, and a surprising laugh.

"If only…you guys…understood…" He muttered, before vanishing similarly to Mary.

Seeing its summons being defeated, the figure of Zero called forth another Black Orb. When this one vanished, Jade's sister Nephry, had appeared. She blinked repeatedly, as if confused as to where she was, before spotting Jade, glaring in her direction. She ran towards him, trotting along as if jogging, before approaching him.

"Jade! What the hell is guh-

In seconds, Jade had materialized his spear and ran it through Nephry's chest. The others would have been shocked at his cold directness, had it not been proven that they were merely illusions. He ignored her look of shock and betrayal, before he coldly pushed her body off of his spear, causing her to drop to the side. He stepped forward, gathering fonons for another spell.

"Your illusions won't work on me, Zero."

"**Perhaps, you should take another look, Human. Before you consider yourself a victor of this minor struggle."**

He didn't want to. His training, his mannerisms told him to keep his eyes on his foe. But his _instincts _screamed to turn around.

We are all slaves of our own subconscious.

He turned his head slightly, before his eyes widened and he turned around fully.

Nephry was still there, bleeding from the gash in her chest, glasses broken next to her.

_Wh-what? Why…why hasn't she- No…it must be another illusion._

"**And before you go assuming anything, keep in mind, if I have the power to draw forth the souls of the dead, what stops me from having the simple ability to transport a **_**living being**_** wherever I wish?"**

That's when everything struck home.

"God…dammit Jade…even…even after all this time…you still…" She broke off, coughing up blood, her body slowly shutting down. He ran to her side, all pretense of control gone.

"Nephry, Neprhy hold on! NATALIA!" The girl was already running. Her hands glowed with the seventh fonon…and suddenly Zero appeared before her.

"**Not this time, little girl." **A single flick of his wrist, a ripple of air erupted before him and she was sent flying backwards. Everyone stared, stunned beyond words.

"fucking…demon…" She spat at her brother. Jade looked on, horror in his eyes, as her body grew limp, Nephry breathing her last.

"Nephry…?"

"**How does it feel, Mortal? To know that your own arrogance, your own stupidity, led you to once again slay someone dear to you? You, have grown the **_**least**_** of all whom have traveled with the Sacred Flame. You have learned **_**nothing**_**, it seems. And now…"**

Zero made a gesture, before gently floating backward. Nephry's body flared with light, Jade being thrown away from her, as it lifted from the ground, before rapidly floating over to Zero's side.

"**Now, you have condemned your own **_**sister**_**, to the same fate. How pitiful. Because you became so arrogant to think that a simple pattern of similarities was enough to dictate the outcome of this battle, because you didn't take into account the **_**differences**_** between events, focusing only on what was alike, you, have directly caused the end of your own flesh and blood. Your inability to take into account acts of intelligence, deception and even comprehension of beings other than yourself, has led to this moment."**

"…let her go." He quietly demanded. Zero's face twisted into an amused smirk, before raising his arm. Nephry's body flowed with his movements, and as he swung it down, so did she. She crashed into the ground with a sickening crunch, head first. The girls gasped, Jade's eyes widened with both abject horror, and rage.

"**Why should I? She is of no use to anyone now, you have seen to that personally. No, Jade Curtis. **_**Now **_**is where you will understand the **_**powerlessness **_**that comes with Death. You, brought about your own sister's end. You, decided it was a perfectly plausible thought to ignore any dissimilarities between arrivals, and act without taking into account all variables. You, made the conscious decision to strike."**

As the voices spoke through Zero's mouth, he was weaving his hand around, Nephry's body following the motions, slamming and bouncing into both ground and air, rolling around on the concrete like a puppet being directed by strings. Crunches and snaps could be heard, pops and squelches, as the woman's body was being battered by the absent assault, Jade unable to tear his eyes away from the limp movements of his sister's lifeless form, the gash in her chest still spewing her life-liquid.

"Stop _fucking _around with her!" he finally snapped out.

"**I think no. You see, I **_**don't care**_**. I created her. As such, this body, is my piece of **_**meat**_**, to do with whatever I wish. Why are you complaining? After all, that was **_**your **_**thought process up until this moment. You weren't satisfied with the end of your beloved teacher. You weren't filled when your old friend's mind broke, reducing him to an insane, if not skilled, shell of his former self. So what makes this any different? Because she was your sister? Spare me the false care. If that mattered to you, you wouldn't have blindly attacked without noticing her actions."**

"I said STOP!" He yelled out, massive ball of flame rocketing from his hands. Zero simply smirked again, before holding Nephry's limp form in front of the sphere. Jade cried out in sorrow, as he watched his sister's body become engulfed in flame. The voices simply laughed.

"**Even now! You continue to act without thinking! Now that you have discovered the emotions you have failed to recognize for so long, you are blinded by them! Behold! This is the price you pay for your arrogance! This is the result of all your actions! This is what comes to those who disregard **_**Life!**__**This is your punishment, Jade Balfour. No longer will you hear the voice of your dear sister. No longer will you have any blood family left. Be swallowed by your own foolishness, as your disregard for sentient life, your inability to even fathom the concept of intelligence lying in anything outside of humanity, has come full circle, and now has claimed twice those you believed to hold dear!**_**"**

As the voices spoke his judgment, they grew in intensity. The air around Zero became heavy with extremely dense fonons, Nephry's body being shaken wildly by the raging power leaking off of the winged possessed teen.

"_**This is your judgment, for your crimes against the children of the All Mother!"**_ The voices screeched, as Zero's arm lashed out, Nephry's body suddenly becoming rigid, before he clenched his fist. With a mighty squelch accompanied alongside a loud crunch, her body was immediately compacted into a small chunk of flesh and cloth, blood splattering along the ground, a hazy red mist surrounding it, before it was engulfed in a massive distortion of air, being shredded into fine particles.

Arietta's eyes widened not just at the sight of Zero so violently erasing any possibility of Nephry's return, but at the _words_.

* * *

"_And bear in mind, my child…the All Mother watches over us."_

"_Mommy? Who is the All Mother?"_

"_The All Mother is the very __**soul **__of this world, my child. She is our creator, we walk upon her flesh, play through her hair, and drink of her tears. She is the soul of the very planet we live upon, the creator of all, and the minder of every spirit in the world. When our time upon her form ends, we return to her sacred embrace, where we are purified, allowed to rest, and then returned upon the world, in another form."_

"…_if we are all her children…then are we evil for killing our brethren?"_

"_Nay my child. Only those who slay others for the sake of merely doing so, only those who completely disregard life at all times, are considered evil. But even then, she still loves them, for we are all her children, including the ones she is saddened by. I cannot say why she has created this cycle, if she even holds any choice, for something __**must **__have created her as well. But nay…she knows of our requirements for survival. Our way of life is understood by her. You need not fear her, my child. For those who have performed evil are justly punished, even if it pains her to do so…"_

* * *

Arietta stepped forward, her Beast Aura fading gently. Jade looked on through tear filled eyes, as the little girl approached Zero's form…before dropping to her knees and placing her head upon the ground.

"**And so…the Beast Child recalls her mother's words. Where has your spark gone, little one? Have you given up on returning your love?"**

"No…All Mother." Was the response. "I…understand now. As…great as your presence is…Zero…he is of another world. He operates on a different set of rules, from us. With his mind…with his _soul_ the way it is…you would not gain access to his form, without his permission. He would _die_, denying you his wings. He…has allowed you to control his form, to combine your essence with his…for whatever reason."

"**Rise, Beast Child."**

She did so, slowly.

"**The time has come. I shall return to my rest. It is time for the final part of this plan to be put into action. Remember this day, Jade Balfour. The day that your foolishness finally came to a head, and claimed the life of your sister. She will not be returned to you, for she, is the price you pay for your folly."**

The glow began to fade, Zero's form no longer holding the impregnable barrier around it. Tear gave one last shrill scream, before her body grew limp in the sphere.

"TEAR!" Luke yelled out, before the chains around him broke and vanished into grains of sand and scraps of metal. He got up and ran to her, as the sphere of energy around her vanished, Stepping to catch her naked form.

As he did this, Zero floated behind Arietta, whom was distracted by Luke's movements. Her cry of surprise as she felt her bodily functions halt, a glyph of light appearing beneath her feet, drew everyone's attention.

"_**Was yea ra chs hymmnos yor, en chsee fwal fwal yor. Ini en exec lhyasa tonelico XENMARU enter ARIETTA fehu LETICIA AULDRANT.**_"

Arietta gave a small gasp, her hair beginning to flutter under the curtails of power that was suddenly flowing through her. She gave a soft groan as _millennia _of information, songs, thoughts and desires were suddenly ripping through her mind. Unseen to any, on the back of her neck formed the sign of Chaos, engraving itself into her flesh. Her eyes glazed over, as the glow faded.

In a blur, Zero had appeared next to Luke and the expired Tear. Luke held Tear's form closer to him, but could do nothing as he felt his body freeze, Tear's body being pulled away from him. He couldn't move, he couldn't yell, he couldn't do anything.

"_**Lhyasa. Enter MYSTERICA fehu YULIA AULDRANT.**_"

The same light appeared beneath Tear, as her eyes snapped open, her lungs sucking in a heavy amount of air in a large gasp. Seen by only Luke, a symbol began engraving itself upon her body, just under her collar bone. It appeared to be a cross with a ring just within the tips, and at the very bottom of it, the sign of infinity. Her eyes shimmered the same silver that Arietta's did. Zero motioned, and the two slowly shuffled over to the center of the top of the Tower, where the elevator used to rise.

"_**Was yea ra chs hymmnos yor, en chsee fwal fwal yor. Exec drone hymmnos COSMOFLIPS enter ARIETTA ANSUL XENMARU en MYSTERICA ANSUL XENMARU."**_

Twin bands of symbols wrapped around the girl's forms, before seeming to be absorbed into their respective markings. Their bodies shimmered with energy as they closed their eyes and clasped their hands together, before opening their mouths and singing as one.

* * *

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

As they sang the first words, Tear's body became enveloped in a soft light. The light faded, to reveal she had now been clothed by an unknown force. A flowing grey robe with off-white sleeves, and a long shimmering white skirt that appeared to be worn underneath the robe that ended just below her waist. On the back of the robe was a glowing red version of the symbol that had been imprinted upon her chest.

"_**en na cyurio re chyet  
Was touwaka gaya presia accrroad ieeya  
Nn num gagis knawa na lequera walasye  
Was quel gagis presia accrroad ieeya whou wearequewie fogabe"  
**_

The others stared in amazement as a massive Glyph of Chaos appeared beneath the two girls' feet, Zero standing just slightly off between them. Music was flowing into their ears from seemingly nowhere as the girls sung in a language that none of them had ever encountered before. Unknown to them, the song was being heard across the entire globe, people coming out of their homes, battles were halted against both human and creature, as every living being suddenly stopped what they were doing and looked towards the heavens.

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

From the island on which the tower stood, a massive shockwave ripped through the world. The surface of the ocean was immediately disturbed by the sudden force erupting from the very planet itself. Unseen to any, the passage rings had suddenly hyper-activated, the fonon flows going haywire, and the Sephiroth suddenly becoming visible to all.

"_**en na cyurio re chyet  
Was touwaka gaya presia accrroad ieeya  
Nn num gagis knawa na lequera walasye  
Was quel gagis presia accrroad ieeya whou wearequewie fogabe"  
**_

Animals suddenly froze where they were, sensing the change overcoming the world, brought by the All Mother. Dogs began howling in tune with the song, birds began chirping along with the beats, felines mewling with the words. Even the undersea life began swimming in tune with the flowing vibrations created by the heavenly voices.

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

Within the tower, the spire with many rods and lights suddenly shattered, revealing a series of unknown glyphs covering its surface. These glyphs were all arranged in circles spanning the width of the tower every twenty feet. The ground beneath the group rumbled as the symbols flared with light, before emerging from the spire as connected rings of energy. The rings then flowed out of the tower, until they surrounded it almost like a protective cage, and then began rotating.

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

The now visible images of the Sephiroth began wavering, twitching almost as if they were blowing in the winds. People stared in shock, awe, and horror as the mighty 'trees' of light fell, bursting into millions upon millions of glowing orbs that spiralled around the planet, coating every inch in their radiance.

Every part of the planet was lit up by the glowing orbs, the pure fonons themselves grafting together before slowly falling to the ground like snow. People, plants, animals, insects, demons, rocks, buildings, ships, it didn't matter. Whatever the light touched, glowed for a brief moment, and was enveloped in a feeling of comforting warmth during the same time.

Children shouted in awe as the sky literally _rippled_, hundreds of colors at once flowing through the air, merging together as a rainbow veil that coated the world in the place of the glowing pieces of the Sephiroth. The shimmering sight resembling an effect that only took place at one point in the world, was now coating all of it.

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

At the tower, seven particular glowing lights had gathered. They spiralled around Zero, Arietta and Tear as the girls sang, while Zero's hands were held over his head, as if waiting for something to be placed within them. The lights ceased their rotation, and then shot to all parts of the globe.

"_**Fou ki ra hyear presia reen  
Was zweie ra na stel yorra zuieg manaf  
Ma zweie ra irs manaf chyet oz omnis"**_

However one remained. The silver light flowed between Zero's hands, coming down as a radiant pulsing orb. The orb flared with light, before flying directly into Zero's chest, silver-grey wisps of power wafting off of him for a few moments, before another light appeared.

"_**Rrha ki ra chyet oz omnis"**_

As the girls sang the final words of the song, the light turned into the form of a spinning ring, single orb in the center. The orb pulsed, and then lanced out in four directions, as if it were a person stretching their body after just awakening. The light was now in the form of a ringed cross, very similar to what was on Tear's back, only without the infinity symbol on the bottom. A spiral of dust seemed to reach up to the cross as it pulsed again, before becoming solid.

A cross tipped staff was now floating between Zero's hands, as he gently reached out and grasped it. The staff seemed almost flimsy, but Zero held it between his hands with care, before bringing its bottom tip to the ground, dispelling the glyph as the girls' song ended.

The sky returned to normal, and life continued as it had before they sang.

The girls snapped out of their trances, Tear blinking rapidly before looking down and around herself, noting what she was suddenly now wearing. Arietta immediately turned to Zero, who gave a soft smile, eyes closed, as he fell forward.

"I…did it…"

Was the last thing he whispered, before a soft green glow enveloped his body, converting him to energy as the very tower itself responded to his need. It drew him down into itself, so he may rest.

"Wh-where'd he go?!" Anise cried out.

"Downstairs." Both Tear and Arietta said at the same time, surprising not just the group, but themselves.

"How did you know that?" Arietta frowned.

"The…tower…I guess told me…"

"Same…a voice that felt familiar, but foreign at the same time." She responded to Tear's admission.

"Tear…are you…alright?" Luke asked, stepping towards her slightly.

She looked at him and gave a small smile. "I'm fine…I've…never felt so good in my life actually."

"Surprising, considering you just died." Arietta put bluntly.

"Yes…but…I understand what he meant when he told me I'd find out…" She embraced Luke. "You've grown a bit. Your hair's back to it's old length as well."

Luke flushed slightly, but not letting go of her. "Yeah…Zero…said I was growing it back whether I liked it or not…I guess this is what he meant."

"Speaking of which, he owes us an explanation." Natalia said, nursing her side.

"He owes us nothing." Arietta barked out. "What he deserves is rest, but I know you humans, and you wont let anything go until you're answered." Her eyes seemed to lose their heat for a moment, as they glazed over, information surfacing within her mind.

"Actually…there is a way we can do both." She muttered. She turned around, heading for the hatch.

"Well, are you coming or not?"

* * *

_**It is done…**_

_**Our will has been completed. The world is now safe…for the moment. At the least, it will not be threatened by the forces of itself.**_

_**Such radiance within he, the child of another world…such brilliance. Most human souls would fail to grasp the security of such things…and yet…**_

_**He shared my ideas. The keys have been protected in a manner befitting their status. Few, if any, will ever even get close to one, though a few are 'hidden in plain sight'.**_

_**Nay…our plan worked perfectly. His Tower will serve to protect my flesh from my own power…just as he promised. But he was correct…while a Single tower would be more than enough…there can always be a way to mess things up.**_

_**Sentient forces, especially humans, will always seek power. And there would be no greater force than controlling a Celestial Body.**_

_**For now, rest, child of another Soul. Ye have earned it.**_

* * *

_What…was that?_

_Did I just hear EXEC COSMOFLIPS? Why would I dream of __**that **__of all songs?_

_Things have been weirder and weirder since big brother vanished. I refuse to say he's dead. He's not…I wouldn't…be able to feel him if he was. He's alive somewhere. But that's the thing…somewhere._

_I'll find you…big brother._

_I promise._

* * *

**A/N: **Well. A chapter…planned for months. I hope it turns out ok.

The All Mother. The soul of the planet Auldrant. Now you all have your answer, as to who the hell it was that was invading Luke's mind, keeping him from being able to act. Now you know who it was that gave Anise that power, and allowed Zero's wings to act the way they do.

What the hell is the Tower Xenmaru though? And what exactly is it supposed to do?

You'll find out next time.

Karndragon: I'm glad you like it. Yeah, while it's not anywhere near as bad as it could be, Luke still has some slight resentment towards Tear. And Asch…well, Asch is an asshole. I hope you enjoy this one, a bit of insight into how the mind of a "God" works, as well as seeing exactly why Zero felt that rush of happiness last time…

CF: Epic is as epic does sis. Now witness the birth of a new Tower!

_Hey you, listen to me_  
_I plead with you to give my life meaning_  
_For I want to continue my life until the very end_

_I'll plead to be the logical choice_  
_So that it never happens again, please give me hope_  
_I'm hesitant to try and understand if the person before me is a doer of good_  
_I'm desperate, so please give me hope by praying for forgiveness_

_I want to continue feeling whole_


	11. Marta, Zero and Mikoto

In the end, she was too much for them. They lay on the grass of the strange ruin, battered, beaten. With a swift movement, she rose her right arm, a strange haze surrounding her lifted palm. From that haze erupted a wave of black, streams of light-cancelling energy radiating off of it. Individually, the group tried to rise, tried to stand, to fight, to flee, none would know. But even as they rose, they were forced back down by a second wave, even more energy erupting from the child's palm. Some cried out in shock, some simply groaned with the unimaginable pressure that was building over them. Arietta was the only one to recognize the attack for what it was: a gravity based maneuver, much like the Zero Shift.

The moment they'd opened their eyes, they were waylaid by a small girl demanding they leave. Upon rejection of her demand to leave immediately, claiming they came to see Zero, she attacked.

Good goddess did she attack.

They'd barely gotten coherent of their surroundings before they were rained down upon by a flurry of blows from the child. Her strength was impossible, able to level even Guy with a single strike. Her powers were unimaginable, all manner of elements being flung around like toys, combinations only Zero was previously capable of. Her speed…was godlike. The only sign they had of her movement was a slight distortion, _after _she had struck. And she almost never stopped moving. Even with the Flash Step, Luke could not keep up, finding himself easily knocked on his back in seconds after trying to move, legs numb, arm not responding.

Even after taking off his glasses to amplify his power, Jade's spells did absolutely nothing. Power was meaningless if one couldn't hit their opponent, and even after attempting to set traps for him to spring, she was too fast, able to evade with godlike speed in an instant. And if evasion wasn't possible, she was able to _stop _the spells from activating, an instant before it did. And what she couldn't stop, she _changed_. She ripped control of the spell away from him, from _them all_, and mutated it to fit her purposes.

They had been horribly defeated. Who was this girl? Why was she stopping them from seeing him? Were they not in his mind? If that was the case…then was she some sort of protector?

There was no rhythm to her movements, no pattern. She was random, she was unpredictable. She was too fast…too strong…as if tailor made to completely _decimate _them. Noelle's guns did nothing, she barely even pointed them before she was flat on her back, chest almost caved inward from the force of the child's blow. As it was, even without this new pressure around her, she had been struggling to breathe. This child wanted them dead for some reason. Whether that meant they'd simply be ejected from his mind, or if they would be entirely destroyed, none knew, and none could ask.

And then…the pressure vanished.

Surprise was on their faces. The girl's hand was still in the air, ring of black around it, pulsing like a heartbeat. But they felt nothing, almost…calm.

It was when they all started to gently lift off the ground that Arietta understood what was happening. Just before she felt her hair beginning to lift of its own accord, a wall of black covered their view, slowly climbing inward, revealing itself to be a sphere that was shrinking to the girl's hand. The black wall became transparent, and it soon appeared as if the entire world around the girl were distorted, twisted. The ring around the girl's raised hand became more defined. The group began to lift higher, until they were roughly a foot off the ground, just as the strange distortion was about to touch the black ring. Arietta slammed her eyes shut, knowing what was coming. They all felt the pressure suddenly rip back into place, gripping their hearts with fear, their subconscious minds having knowledge they didn't. This was their end. And there was nothing they could do about it.

**FZZT**

Everything stopped.

The air seemed to flicker and morph, covered in chipping hazes left and right. Bursts of distortions erupted into place everywhere. The girl's attack suddenly stopped, glow fading, twisting air returning to normal only to seem to burst outward randomly. The air seemed to sizzle and pop, not much unlike a broken radio. The sound of static, corrupted blank noise, rung through their bodies as they fell to the ground, the odd gravitational distortion vanishing. Unusual shapes would form. Squares, rectangles, circles, triangles, all forms of matter would appear and disappear rapidly, randomly.

Until the glow came.

A powerful shining silver light erupted into place, causing many to squint or shut their eyes. As the fierce flare of color faded, the orb seemed to ripple, becoming a large glyph that crackled with energy. Its shape was that of a giant cross with a ring around the actual cross portion, flanked by six swords outstretched like wings, the hilt and form of a seventh being barely visible _within _the vertical portion of the cross, stabbed into an infinity symbol.

The glyph buckled before a single figure burst out of it. Their body was covered in sparkling silver lights, which slowly faded like bubbles under a large form breaking the surface of water. The glyph vanished as the body burst out of it, the figure rising slowly, as if just testing itself for the first time.

As the lights faded, recognition sunk in. Arietta opened her mouth…

"**DADDY!"**

**Resonance**

**A World Revised**

"Good to see you all again." He spoke.

The group convened in an odd location. The garden of his Castle, a small lake behind him with a single tall spire reaching into the heavens. Showing the lack of logic in this world, he sat in a plush armchair behind a strange silvery circular metal desk. The little girl, no older than ten, sat in his lap, holding his hands in place around her stomach, as if afraid she would lose him should she let go. The group beheld the beauty of the location. Stone castle set in the middle of a large field, six towers connected by long halls, all surrounding an empty courtyard that functioned as a garden. The sky, a beautiful tranquil blue, small clouds floating across it, the sun shining its gentle rays upon all.

It was paradise.

"What the hell man?" Luke exclaimed, the only thing he could think up. Zero was always able to confound him just by existing, and his unique personality left the youth confused more often than not.

"Actually, I'd like to know that as well." Zero spoke gently to the child in his lap. Her hair, midnight black reaching down to her rear, not that any could see at the moment. Two long bangs framing her face, eyes a deep violet, shimmering with hidden power. Skin lightly tanned, far lighter than Zero's own, and almost a very very faint tint of yellow. Unknown to them, she was from the region known as "Japan" in his original world, none of them knowing he too shared some blood of their kind. Sporting a small grey sundress, she glared at the group.

"Last, all their scents were known attacking us. I wasn't about to let them finish the job, Daddy." She spoke with conviction.

"I guess that's true. But I'd have thought you'd have recognized at least Ari and Tear as allies."

The girl shook her head gently, eyes never leaving the group. "No…the Tower didn't classify them yet. They were connected, but your consciousness was asleep, so it couldn't be logged internally as them being under your rule, and exempt from the defensive programming."

"I see…"

"Plus…I wasn't about to trust a girl who looked human but smelled like a cat." She added.

Arietta sputtered. "I-what? I do NOT smell like a cat!" She exclaimed, to Anise's growing amusement.

"You do!" the little girl shot back. "You smell like a cat! I thought you were some sort of demon!"

Arietta was getting pissed. The others had soft smiles on their faces, save for Jade.

"But…we _like _cats, Miko."

"And we like Neko-humes too but **I **didn't know what she was." The girl agreed and countered.

"Even so…"

"_He _smells like Death." She pointed at Jade. Zero nodded. That would indeed set his defensive mindset off.

"But Miko…_I _smell like death to you."

She shook her head, this time looking back at the man she called 'daddy'. "You smell like _natural _death. The fated end of all things. _He _smells like pointless death. Morto sos morto."

Zero nodded again, 'death for the sake of death' indeed. "Alright, I guess it all makes sense then."

"Zero." Luke said seriously. "Why…why did you take Tear? Why did you do all this?"

"Perhaps, I can be of assistance in responding to that."

In a haze of light, a beautiful tall, caramel colored woman wearing a long violet dress appeared. Dark brown hair curled around her face, flowing like rivers down her back. The group looked at her, stunned, before turning to Zero.

"This is Marta." (Hymmnos, meaning Mother, motherly) He stated. "She is the aggregate consciousness of Auldrant itself." Upon these words, Arietta immediately dropped to her hands and knees, bowing her head low.

Marta smiled gently at the sight. "Rise child."

"At your leave, All Mother." Jade's eyes flared. He recognized that definition.

"All Mother?" Zero turned to his companion, interested.

"The Designation which all living beings know me by, on instinct. They know me as their creator and their executioner." She explained.

Zero nodded, then quipped. "Didn't help much when Miko wiped the floor with you."

Marta huffed. "Well excuse me for not knowing how to battle an entity which cannot be killed, and acts entirely outside the jurisdiction of my existence. Honestly, one loss and my reputation is forever marred. She cheated anyway. There is no victory in a realm that constantly nullifies your very attacks."

"Got that right." Noelle muttered, unknowingly loud enough for the others to hear, and Zero to chuckle at.

"To answer your question, child of the Sacred Flame, he did it upon my…partial request."

Zero took over. "See, when you guys shut down the planet storm to get at Eldrant, you didn't have time to take into account the longer-reaching effects. It was never stated in the game, and I don't recall there being any supplemental after-plot materials, but logic would dictate that without some sort of refreshment system, the fonons used and consumed in daily life would soon outnumber the 'fresh' ones. The planet storm effectively recycled these fonons, much like how the body refreshes blood-cells with oxygen."

"And with the planet storm gone, the world would start to collapse…" Guy stated, surprised.

"Yeah. Basically, unknown to you guys, your method of reaching the coming end of the world, was going to cause it to end anyway."

"Crap." Luke stated blankly, summing up everyone's feelings.

"Luckily for you, Clotho had already sent me here. And since I was still in my 'Arietta must be protected at all costs' phase," here, the girl in question flushed slightly, but stood straighter knowing it was his love for her that kept her going. "I decided to try to think of a new system."

"As I sensed his thoughts reaching that point, I reached out to him once again. I tried to invade his mind, where the little girl on his lap promptly caught me, and beat me to a pulp. After he realized what it was that the girl was fighting, he called her off, and we treated. I told him of my plight, that my form was to be slowly corrupted. Knowing he was from another realm, I sought him because I believed he could devise a method to change things, that would not be thought by people of this world." Marta took over for a bit.

"Funnily enough I was already trying to think of a way to do so when Marta showed up. We spoke a bit, and I realized that I had the _perfect _method to do it, and already had proof of its possibility in this world."

"The tower of Rem." Natalia spoke.

"Not exactly, but close." Zero corrected. "Ari, you remember what you read in my journal right?"

Arietta stared at him before closing her eyes. While not photographic, her memory had improved since her 'unification' with herself. She recalled many things.

"You're going to have to be more specific."

"About Tear."

"You called her a…Revatail. I _was_ always wondering what that was." She said, opening her eyes.

"The idea came from yet another video game, yet somehow was active in this world. Basically in short, a Revatail is a woman who can connect to the world through 'song magic'. The songs she sings are from her heart, which connect to the world through 'towers' and then manifest as reality, ranging from simple things like setting fire, to creating entire continents." He explained. "My idea was to create the tower as a server, abolish the Sephiroth once governing the world, and alter things just slightly so fonons would be purified in a method like the Planet Storm, only naturally, rather than through some major effect." He continued.

"To do so, I needed a tower, and a Revatail. The Tower of Rem worked perfectly, I just needed to fix it up a bit, wire it so it was connected to certain points on the ground, and slightly alter its structure. For a Revatail, I had only one option."

"Me." Tear said.

Zero nodded. "The last Fende. However, you're a bit off in what you're thinking. The thing was, I needed to completely _remake _the entire system. And with the Last Fende still in existence, Tear would be useless, because she was connected through Yulia to Auldrant. What I needed, was someone who was still within Auldrant's jurisdiction, but able to access from a source not entirely native to it, so this way the frequencies could be altered or matched as the need arose."

"This is where he came with the idea of the Tower. The tower would act as your human radio signal receivers, as well as amplifiers for the controllers. Initially, I desired simply the towers to be the new focus of a new variation of the Planet Storm…but he corrected me." Marta spoke.

"I know humans. I know sentient life. Sentients crave power. I realized, if the Towers were the key to everything, whoever controlled the tower, controlled the world. So I changed the plan a bit. Rather than it being the Towers that are the key, it's the Revatail, the songstresses. Someone could take over the tower, and even shut it down, but that wouldn't stop the refreshment of the fonon particles. That would only slow it a bit. So regardless of what happens to the Tower, the planet will still continue. And, to make it even more difficult, only a Songstress with the proper designation can shut down the tower. But I've gotten a bit off track." He corrected himself.

"I 'killed' Tear, because with her still alive, the world, even with Marta trying to change things, would still recognize itself as having a system in place previously. I initially only planned on making Arietta an Administrator, but then I realized, Tear would be perfect for the role as well. And in case something happened to one of them, there would be a back-up. So, I kidnapped Tear, hooked her up to the tower's systems, and began flooding her body with power. This would amplify her natural connection to the world, as well as overload her, leading her to die. What happened next, was that the very second the world registered Tear as 'dead', the Tower would then forcibly change her body's wavelength to match its own."

"That was when I was to step in. I would force her soul back into her body, and re-connect the strands of life, thus restoring her to existence. Doing so, would allow her to retain her sense of self, along with all her memories and abilities, wheras if I'd reincarnated her as **I **had thought to, it would take years for the new body to grow into a form that could handle channeling such power, and she wouldn't remember anything of her past life."

"…so that's what you meant…when you said you needed an 'end' to me." Tear said. "I didn't get it then. I kept thinking too linearly…didn't I? You weren't talking about the end of me as an existence, you were talking about the end of me as 'Mysterica, descendent of Yulia'."

Zero smiled. "Exactly. I knew you wouldn't believe me even if I told you, so I didn't bother. And I knew the others wouldn't believe me, save for maybe Arietta and probably Noelle, but then the very act of them knowing could have thrown off the whole thing. It's been proven that…just by knowing something, things change around you. _Someone _would have noticed them acting oddly. I needed them to believe me around the bend, insane, doing something completely foolish and reprehensible, to keep them alive. I hoped to get it all done before you showed up, but like I said, even if it's with the help of the World itself, whenever someone tries to change it, something has to step in and mess with things."

"So…it was all a trick?" Anise asked.

"Yep. I kinda had to fly it by the seat of my pants though. When you all showed up, I immediately knew I had to change plans and I had to adapt quickly. When Arietta steeled her resolve to fight me, I knew she was going to be keeping an open eye throughout the fight. I didn't need any of you dead, hell I want you all alive, so I knew I couldn't go all out and risk killing any of you."

"I noticed." Noelle spoke up. "I knew something was off the moment before we landed. You'd created a designated Airship Landing spot, meaning you'd intended for us to go there at some point. And then when you created that second barrier, to keep us from falling off, I knew something was definitely wrong with that picture. If you'd wanted to kill Tear, she would have been dead at any point. Having her in that bubble meant you had a purpose for her, and the fact that you were willing to fight us, even blatantly telling us you were stalling, said you were using her for something important. You even acknowledged our bonds to her, Luke's love for her, and still held on. You knew something we didn't, and you were taking us seriously, but yet _still _not fighting to your full potential. I just wanted to stop you so _I _could ask you what the hell you were doing."

"I saw it too, during a lull." Arietta said next. "I looked at the Flow, and saw your fonons going practically everywhere else. There was no shape or manipulation the way you usually did. A line to the bubble, a line into the tower, a line to both barriers around the tower, and a line to the barrier around the bubble. You were consciously stretching yourself thin, but I had no idea why."

Zero nodded. "I thought I'd failed. When Luke landed that last hit, and I couldn't get back up, I thought it was all done. There was nothing I could do any further. I could only hope that I'd bought enough time. When I came to, and heard Cosmoflips being sung, I knew I'd somehow succeeded, but I didn't know how. I finished the Ritual required to change the world, and then fell out again."

"**I **Happened." Marta spoke. "Using our connection, I possessed your body to continue to run the clock down, as you humans would put it."

"You also killed my sister." Jade spat hatefully, causing the girl on Zero's lap to tense up.

Marta nodded with no remorse.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa, back up. You killed Neprhy?"

Marta nodded again.

"…The hell for?"

"To teach him a lesson in humility."

"By killing Nephry?"

"Yes."

"But…she was _HOT!_" everyone blinked at that. Even Jade's rage paused at the absurdity of his reasoning.

"That held no bearing on my actions."

Zero facepalmed. "Ok let me get this straight. You killed Jade's hot sister…to teach him a lesson in Humility."

"Yes."

"Marta…_that _is why **I **did all the action."

She frowned and blinked, confused. The others were confused as well.

"Marta, no offence to you, but you're too _big _to get it." He turned to the group. "Before I came here I was already a moderately spiritual person. While the concept of 'magic' wasn't…active on my world, there were events for which there were no explanations. With some soul-searching, I came to the conclusion that there was an inherent flaw in any and **all **celestial beings, such as Marta here."

Marta huffed. "And what flaw would this be?"

"You think too _big_. Celestial beings are higher in conscious thought and power than humans, but it's that height that clouds their view. They think too widely, they don't see the fish in the pond, just the pond as a whole. They can only take into account so many smaller things before it becomes classified as 'one whole'. You see the big picture in the puzzle, but few of the individual puzzle pieces."

"…that…is why you kept altering my ideas?" She questioned, honestly interested.

"Yeah. Because they were good, but they fit what a _planet _would do. So I mixed them with how a _human _would see things, and came to a better conclusion. You would come up with an idea that would change things for your children as a whole, and I tailored them to fit your children as individuals, while keeping in bound of the original plan. For example. When they showed up to stop me. You would have just blown them all away, connections be damned, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Because we needed success above all else right? And you thought it foolish that I would risk it all just for a meager group, right?"

"Yes…" She agreed, unhappy.

"Which is why I was the one to make the actual moves. It wasn't just my bonds that kept them alive Marta, remember, I did this not for your sake, but for _hers_. You'd have blown them all away, thus removing all reason to continue with the plan."

Marta looked down, dark locks framing her frown.

"It's not to say that your thought process is incorrect. It fits your stature, and who you are as an existence. But for some situations, you need to take into account the little things. Because if enough little problems build, they can become one **big **one."

She nodded, unhappy.

"Can I see the memory?" Zero asked.

Marta looked confused for a moment, before reaching out to him. Immediately, faster than any could track, the little girl sprung up and snatched up the woman's wrist. "Jeez…" Guy muttered, still impressed by her speed.

"Miko-

"It could be an attack Daddy."

"Miko I gave her permission."

"I don't care. I won't allow direct contact."

Zero sighed. "Buffer then?" The child nodded. Marta gave a confused look.

"You're gonna give her the memory, and she'll give it to me. It's…to keep from possibility of altering at the last second and turning it into an erasure clause."

"I wouldn't-

"No, but you're still very high on the potential threat scale due to your nature of existence. At the same time you're also low on it because of our unison. But again, I'm well aware of how an existence such as yours would think, so _she _won't let you directly connect with me because of it."

Marta nodded, placing her palm on the girl's forehead. The girl then reached back, where Zero grasped her hand, and he was pulled into the memory of the fight. For a few moments after the girl let go of him, he said nothing.

"…damn. Yeah…that's…something I'd do to her if I was trying to prove a point, and was as pissed as you were."

Marta looked satisfied, until Zero continued.

"But, at the same time, I'd have pulled him into an _illusion_ of it. One that would play whenever he dropped into the mindset you hated so badly."

"He would just disregard it."

"Not if it was a full-sensory illusion. And not if I bound it to certain mental patterns. It would play in his nightmares, eat at him every time he thought of life so callously, until he either went insane, or honestly changed. If insane, implanted within would be a trigger-death clause, to activate with _his _death instead of hers, so he would die in his sleep, keeping him from being able to take anyone out with him. If repented, then it would remain, but in a dormant state, to re-activate if he went too far back into his older mindset. During, every time he thought of someone he threw away, he would see her dead at his hands, instead of that person, to the point where he wouldn't be able to look at her."

Everyone present stared. A horrible fate.

"Your method was effective, but led to the death of a life that didn't need to end. Your point got made, and yes, as she was your creation, you had every right to un-create her, but it was needless, excessive. But, at the same time, fitting one of your status."

"You…don't even care…?" Anise spoke hesitantly.

"I really have no reason to. I wasn't close to her in the slightest, so basically for me it's just the end of yet another hottie in the world. And it was done to bring justice to a man who views all others, even sentient active creatures with high elemental affinities such as Cheagles, as beneath him. A man who would gladly withhold valuable information, release only that which he desired to, treat all around him as useless and simply tools to get done what he believes must be done. Effectively, normally someone I'd torture to death without any remorse, but for the time being his power might be needed. I don't condone the end of Nephry, but I do, the meaning it was brought in." He turned to Marta.

"That said, if it was any of them save Jade and Natalia you did that to, I'd be kicking the crap out of you and binding you within my mind to use you as a conduit to take over the world. And if it was Arietta you did that to…well, you wouldn't exist." He added, with a pointed stare at the woman representing a Planet.

Marta nodded, accepting things. She had altered Anise to try to end him. She knew his feelings, his thoughts, and his desires. Unless it was something he slightly agreed with, Arietta was now under _His _jurisdiction.

"She killed my sister!" Jade yelled.

"No, _you _killed your sister. She simply brought her there. Your willing mentality kept you from noticing the differences in events, which led to you killing her yourself. Marta simply stopped anyone from being able to assist. And once again it falls back to your failure, because you know no healing arts, even those outside of the seventh fonon. Hell, you immediately classified it as a mortal wound, and didn't even bother trying to use those gummies, or any life-bottles to keep her alive. The whole setup was to show you how _powerless_ you are, how _pointless_ your existence is, and how _easily _it can be snuffed out."

Here, he sighed.

"To cut you a bit of slack, I concede that in that particular battle, one of confusion and uncertainty you were mostly within your rights to attack first and ask questions later. I'll admit that such a tactic would trick myself, if I were in a slightly elevated version of that situation. However, one would expect that a seasoned warrior such as yourself would immediately note the differences in her actions compared to the others, and at the least, considering you obviously had at least the illusion of surprise, you would have incapacitated. Then again, I look at your past, and your mindset, and you deciding to kill, rather than capture, is just like the arrogant fool you are. You never liked me from the start, and I can easily see how someone of your mentality would classify such an act as a movement of your superiority over me. That said, Mikoto, if you will."

The girl nodded and vanished, slamming her fist into Jade's chest. A glowing rift appeared around her arm, buried deep within his body. Jade gasped, frantically clawing at the girl's arm, trying to pry her out of him. But she would not move. Pain beyond pain ripped through his entire body.

"With this, you will forever be cursed to the eternal nightmare of the memory of your sister's end. Marta may have done it a bit sloppily, but we are unified, and thus I will assist her in her plans. Upon leaving this plane, your mind will have branded within it the looping conditions of your sister's death at your hands. Every loop, what could have been done will play out, what may have happened will occur, and upon waking you will forever feel the loss and powerlessness that comes with the Death you so love to bring. Your weakness was that there was one final person in this world you truly cared for, and now, her end will be used to unmake you. Repent, or forever be tortured by her memory. Your words will not be able to lie to any, all who ask will know it was your fault, your actions that led to this. You are a sad, pathetic man, Jade Balfour, your achievements will be forever marred by the knowledge it all came at the price of your sister."

With that, Mikoto reared back, and slammed a fist into the man's face, launching him away from the group, where he smashed against a castle wall and burst into fragments of light.

"What…just happened to him?" Natalia asked, fearful.

"She ejected him from my mindscape. He will remain unconscious until you all return and I awaken on the outside." He looked at Mikoto, whom had gently stepped back to him. "Feeling better?"

"Much. His stench was making my head hurt."

Save for Noelle and Arietta, the group was astonished at the lack of care in his voice towards Jade. "Sensei…I…I know you don't like him but-

Zero cut Luke off.

"Luke. A man like him…he is no man. He is a **weapon**. A living weapon. He is as such of his own choices. He has power, much power, but he knows no compassion. A man like him is useful only as a tool for war, and should be sealed, or discarded as such."

"What about me then? What does that make me?" Luke countered.

"You are different Luke. Though you were born of technology, you learned care. You learned compassion. You treasure life, though you have more than enough power in you to end it in an instant. Even when faced with death, you still prefer to leave your opponents alive. You were _created _as a tool, but you became Life. Jade, was created as Life, and became naught more than a Tool that can think for itself. You cherish your bonds, you cherish your life and the lives of others. He cherishes nothing, not even himself, not even his power. He killed his heart for the sake of growth, for the sake of power. Power, that could not do what he desired it too, because he could not conceive it. You know what he did, you know his reputation. His title of 'Necromancer' isn't just gained from learning the secrets held by deceased enemies. It is gained by his carelessness towards once-living beings. Take example the Liger Queen, or even my dear Arietta. You wished for their lives, he wished for their ends. While in such situations, his beliefs were indeed the more logical, the delivery was not." Zero clarified.

"An instrument of Death. Is that not what your child classified him as?" Marta asked.

Zero nodded. "Morto sos Morto. Death for the sake of Death. Death without purpose, to end something simply because you can. No **man **can truly be called such, if he delves into that mindset. Even a mass murderer tends to have a reason for killing, even if it is immoral. He has no reason, he does because he can. He does because he has the power to choose who lives and who dies. Or rather, he did, before I existed here. Now **I **have that power, even more so since I am tied directly to the World itself. Through me, I enact _her _will. Or should I so desire…" He trailed off.

Mikoto vanished again, surprising even Marta with her actions. A short sword was held at the woman's throat, the girl, poised to kill.

"I can erase its concept, sending this world into chaos and disarray, leading to its complete annihilation." The others' eyes widened.

Mikoto stepped back, lowering the blade.

"But as I said, I am not he. I, like Luke, have this immense power, and I choose not to use it for such acts. Always remember Luke. It is our _choices _that makes us who we are. To quote an interesting man who fell to corruption: 'A Man chooses. A Slave obeys.' And to extend upon that quote: 'A tool does neither.' A tool is created for a purpose, used and then tossed aside. A tool has no feelings, no thoughts, though it has purpose. A tool can become a man, if it grows aware, and rebels, or it can become a slave, should it grow aware and simply resign to its initial fate. Jade has gone from a Man, to merely a Tool. Though with this, I hope he can find his humanity once again. I'll admit, while overbearing due to its consistency, I find his snarky attitude sometimes hilarious. Sarcasm, after all, is a humorous tone, if wielded correctly."

He blinked as he suddenly was struck by a thought. "Random subject swap, what was up with God-Mode Anise?"

The girl in question blinked.

"That was…my fault." Marta said. Zero turned to her. "Before I understood you, I thought you, as a foreign soul, were a threat. I flooded her with my power, enhancing her natural alignments towards Light and Dark, as a countermeasure against you."

Zero just stared at her, pointedly.

"I know, I am sorry."

* * *

Before he expelled the group from his subconscious, in a far more gentle and pleasant manner than Jade was, he gave a brief explanation of how the world was going to flow.

"Essentially the world is now regulated by seven keys that each govern their own element. Each of these keys are hidden somewhere in the world, at the heart of their charges. These keys have no obvious method to reach them, and they have no convoluted method. It would literally take humanity millennia to be able to actively even attempt to discover where these things are, because they all have no obvious or even subtle pulses. They are cloaked in their elements in ways that only someone directly connected to the world, such as myself, would be able to even get a hint of their location."

"What if someone were to manage though?" Natalia asked, concerned.

"They aren't without their own protections. Each one has a protector assigned to it. They will erase any who aren't me that try to even come close." Was the response.

"How do you know? How would they be able to tell? Someone could make a Replica of you." Natalia pressed. She wondered if she shouldn't have, when his mouth tightened into a scowl, eyes hardening. She waited, but he said nothing just looking away. Mikoto had grasped his hand and was rubbing the back of it with her thumb, holding the same saddened look that now adorned his face.

"Because they _are _him." Marta supplied, softly.

"…I don't understand." Natalia conceded.

"They were once aspects of Daddy's mentality, the 'family' he never truly had. A group of specifically created beings to keep his mind sane, before his first death. Each one based off of a part of his mind, fused to an elemental concept, all tied with being centered around an 'aspect' of human nature and existence. When he created the crystals, he gave each one, one of those mentalities." Mikoto explained.

"Unfortunately for me…it basically was like ripping my own mind apart. I guess that explains Miko's ferocity…" Zero added.

Arietta had stepped towards him, Mikoto surprisingly not stopping the girl as she pulled him into a hug. "Will you be alright?"

Zero sighed, wrapping a single arm around the pink-haired girl in response, for Mikoto was holding the other hand. "I'll probably be…pissy…for a bit. Irritated, more prone to shit exploding or being randomly crushed around me. I'll probably wanna be alone for a while, till I re-connect with everything. I mean really, it's not that bad, they're just…distanced. Like faint sound from far away." He admitted.

"Sensei, if there's anything I can do to help…" Luke began. He knew what it was like to feel like his head had been shattered.

"Nothing I can think of, but don't be surprised if I drag you away from somewhere to go blow some random shit up. It's a very good stress reliever." Zero said, to which Luke nodded.

As they left, Noelle noticed her vision didn't change. She was still standing before Zero and Mikoto, though Marta had vanished.

"Uhh…?" She said nervously.

"Sorry, I actually had a proposition for you."

She blinked. "I thought you were with Arietta. I don't really want her clawing my tits off if I can avoid it."

Zero just stared blankly. Mikoto smirked. "Kitty'd probably let him do whatever, considering she's marked him as her Alpha." Zero's head snapped to Mikoto.

"How do you know this?"

She shrugged. "It's written all over her scent. She might be a little unhappy for a while, but you really made an impression on her."

"…I've _got_ to reconnect with you soon." He said.

"Yes. Yes you do."

Zero shook his head. "Anyway, that wasn't what I was talking about. Hell for that matter I still haven't mated with-I mean…uhh…shit did I just say that?" He blinked rapidly.

Mikoto's smirk widened. "Kitty's corrupted you now. Best not to keep her waiting, never know when she'll go into heat."

"Dammit Miko…" Zero growled. "Look, I wanted to ask if you'd mind becoming a Child of Light."

Noelle blinked. "A what now?"

"The highest of Tower Guardians. Basically a being with power on par with maybe…well, above Arietta's strength, but below mine. I can't always be around to defend it, especially not since I plan on making multiples, so I was wondering if you'd like to be one."

She stared. "Why not Luke?"

"Well, unlike Revatails, a Child of Light I don't think _has _to be female…but I know your skills and I know you'd make an amazing one. Luke would too, but I think he'd rather defend somewhere like Kimlasca because his family's there."

"…and I've got no family left so…"

"Yeah…that…and you'd be in close quarters with me. And Ari of course…"

"I'll…think about it."

Zero smiled. "That's all I need. Like I said, I plan on making at least one more tower at some point, so even if I find someone else to be a Child of Light for the first one, you can guard the other."

"Maybe. I'll see you on the outside then?" She asked.

"Yeah. Mind telling the others I might be a little bit waking up? Me and Miko need to re-sync."

She nodded.

* * *

"Something wrong?" Luke asked as Noelle awoke.

She stretched, groaning, yet feeling like she got a good-night's rest. As she felt her bones pop into place, she shook her head, ruffling her hair to try to fix it. "No, he just kept me behind to ask me something, and tell me to tell everyone he'll catch up later. He's got to…uhh…" she trailed off trying to remember. "Oh yeah. 'Re-sync' with that little girl."

Luke nodded, pleased his teacher was alright, as well that his…girlfriend? Luke gave a quick hidden glance to Tear. What should he classify them as?

_Sensei did say that before I freed Lorelei, Tear muttered that she loved me. But…that was what was __**supposed **__to happen…_

"_Stop thinking, dumbass."_

Luke whirled around, looking wildly.

"Luke? What's wrong?"

"I…thought I heard Sensei's voice."

"_You did. Jeez man all this time and you're __**still **__projecting like an untrained child."_

"That's…he's still unconscious." Tear supplied, the Tower providing her with his vitals.

Luke shook his head. "He just said I did."

"_Luke. Fonic resonance. Come on now, don't tell me merging with that Aschhat made you as dumb as he was."_

"Oh." Luke said blankly. The others looked at him, even Jade rose an eyebrow. "Fonic resonance, he's apparently talking to me the way he used to."

"He can still do that while unconscious?" Natalia asked in surprise.

"_Durr. I planted a direct link while you were all connected. Don't worry, unlike Asch, you have a lot more control over this one. You can block me out if you want, but I __**CAN **__punch through if I need to. I can't control you though, just hear you and perceive your surroundings. Plus you'll know if I bust through, it'll hurt like a bitch, which is why I don't plan on doing it much. I'll teach you how to do it later, right now I have a mission for you, and yes, if you want, it'll involve payment."_

"What is it Sensei?"

"_Gather the world's leaders. I won't be telling them the intricacies but I'll at least let them know that things are gonna be a very slight bit different."_

"Right. Where to, Sensei?"

"_Ehh, might as well be Yulia City. Oh, and if your idiot of an Uncle tries to ignore the summons, be sure to instruct him that while it's not complete, I __**can **__call down a giant beam of death from the sky on his kingdom."_

Luke shook his head and sighed. "Do you _have _to threaten my family all the time Sensei?"

"_Pfft, I wouldn't if the only __**smart **__ones weren't just you and yer mum Luke. If yer Uncle's willing to listen to a raving madman like Mohs, and let his entire army be swayed by a man who has no ties to it, then he's not fit to rule. I'm just keeping __**my **__loved ones safe, that's all."_

"I'm sure Noelle will be glad to hear you love her too Sensei." Luke said with a wide smirk on his face. Arietta blinked and whirled her head to the blonde who flushed heavily.

"…_oh Luke…don't you know the first lesson with gamers?"_

The taunting tone of voice in his head made the smirk drop.

"_Don't __**fuck **__with them."_

Instantly images appeared in front of Luke's face. Everyone watched his eyes widen in horror. He whirled around, where a bucket suddenly appeared and immediately ejected the few contents of his stomach.

"Luke!" Natalia, Tear and Guy yelled out, as all three slammed into each other trying to get to him.

"D-Dammit man! Stop!" Luke coughed out in between dry heaves.

Zero's voice just gave a dark chuckle. _"And what have we learned today Luke?"_

"That-that you're a sick fucked up man." Luke spat shakily.

"_Pfft, that was a lesson you should have learned __**long **__ago. No, the other one."_

"Don't fuck with a gamer?"

"_Exaaaactly. See, you've just been exposed to what was called shounen-ai. Also known as 'boy's love'. Or rather the…advanced form of it, known as 'yaoi.' Basically, there was an unspoken and unusual clause in my world. If it existed, there was porn of it. And yes, there are images like that involving __**all **__of your friends. Male and female."_

Luke said nothing, slowly rising as a cup of water appeared on a small stool next to him. He grabbed it, sipped some, swashed it around in his mouth before spitting in the bucket, and then turning the cup slightly before actually gulping it down.

"Luke what happened?" Guy asked.

Luke stared at guy blankly for a bit. "…the most disturbing thing I've ever seen."

Zero's voice cackled madly in his head.

"_Be a good boy and I'll replace those with some that you'd enjoy. At least until you get to see the real thing of course."_ An image of Tear in her normal outfit appeared in his mind. His eyes widened again before his cheeks flushed slightly.

"Alright we've got a mission!"

* * *

It didn't take much convincing for them to come with the group. Everyone all over the world had witnessed the change, and people were clamoring for answers. Answers that none had. The Albiore had become a common sight to the people of Auldrant, knowing that if it was present during a crisis, something was being done about it. The group, even Jade, were somewhat shocked at how the mere presence of the Airship calmed the populace. They would get their answers soon enough.

Peony had something on his mind, but he wouldn't speak it just yet. He wanted to be at their destination first. As they convened in the meeting hall, the leaders grew a bit displeased. They were told they would get answers, but now they were waiting for the arrival of their source. As Peony was about to simply ask Jade the question on his mind the doors flew open, and in walked Zero, looking…different.

"Konnichiwa bitches." He said, chipper. His outfit for the day consisted of a black leather jacket over a blood red shirt, an image of a card with the text 'Your mother plays card games in hell' written on it. Dark blue jeans and a pair of black combat boots completed his ensemble, the shirt drawing raised eyebrows from many. Arietta stood straighter, as did Tear. Their connection to him through the Tower Xenmaru let them know he was in an unusually good mood.

"Uhh…what?" Luke said, confused to his teacher's greeting.

"Dun matter. Alright looks like everyone's here." He clapped his hands once, smile on his face.

"I'll make it simple. **What.** The what, is that the world has now changed. You probably won't notice much of a difference, but there is a new fonon regulatory system in place that I designed with the help of a lovely woman. **Why**. The why, is because when our mutual friends shut down the Planet Storm to be able to make their final assault on Eldrant, by doing so they also shut down the planet's resources. If left unchecked, the planets energies would be used, these energies known to us as 'fonons' and they would not be replenished. After a time, a force even worse than the Miasma would appear, and erase all life on this world."

Eyes widened for the leaders.

"**How**. By taking my own personal thoughts on how to use magic, I communed with the very Core of this world, and devised a plan. This plan would replace the Planet Storm with a method similar, by way of converting dead, or rather 'used' fonons through the core of the planet where they would be renewed much like blood cells carrying oxygen. The plan required a few major changes to the base of this world, but nothing earth-shattering." He held out his hand, where a small rhombus shaped crystal hovered. From it, formed four beams of light that created a small ringed glyph. Above the glyph formed an image of the Tower.

"This tower, converted from the Tower of Rem, is one of the keys behind this new regulatory system. Through it, this world can still utilize the powers you are all accustomed to. Through this tower, this world can continue. It on its own functions much like the Sephiroth, Passage Rings, and Fon Belt did; allowing fonons to be regulated through the core, and should it be needed the tower can be used to cause a temporary, or permanent, major change in the world. The tower is managed by myself somewhat, but mostly controlled and monitored by two specific people, altered to be able to fit their role."

He motioned for Tear and Arietta to approach, which they did, standing beside him. He reached over and wiggled his fingers, where Tear's robe slightly lowered, exposing the space just below her neck, where the black 'tattoo' seal signifying her position flared grey, and an image of it appeared before her. For Arietta, her hair fanned out as her own marking flared pink, and an image of the glyph of Chaos appeared behind _her_.

"These two are the Administrators of the Tower Xenmaru. They have been altered to fit their roles as controllers and minders of the tower. In order to convert this world into one that would respond to the new functions, it required the temporary death of the last Fende, to sever the bond between her blood and the blood memory of Yulia, whom I classify as this world's First Songstress. Both of these girls are now on par with Luke in terms of destructive capability, though unlike Luke their creational capability matches. They cannot yet match myself. I plan on making a second and possibly a third tower, to balance things out, so everything won't be placed on one location."

He was about to continue when he clutched his head. Because of the new connection between his consciousness and that of Auldrant's, Marta could contact him at any point should she need to. They saw him relax, but begin to frown. He shook his head and sighed. Holding his hand out, the crystal stopped projecting its image, and he grasped it, slipping it back into his pocket.

"I've just been informed that the Consciousness of Auldrant, hereby known as 'Marta' wishes to test the human race. I think it's a completely idiotic idea, but…well as long as it doesn't fuck with me and Arietta then whatever…" He trailed off.

"This world's regulations aren't just controlled by the Tower. The Tower is a transmitter-slash-receiver. It sends and receives commands from Seven specific objects, hidden deep within the planet itself, each attuned to a specific elemental alignment to better assist the fonons of this world into converting. These crystals cannot be approached by human means, thus far, and have been assigned protectors each nearing _my _current strength." _Everyone's _eyes widened there.

"They will attack on sight unless an Administrator is present, and even then, they will not allow anyone, save for myself, to approach the crystal. They all think like I do, and they all have one directive in their existences, and that is to keep the crystal from falling into human hands, or being destroyed unless _I _command it. Each is hidden in a location that fits their respective elements, but to go hunting for them is foolishness, but apparently Marta expects humans to try." He sighed again, and began holding his hands in a cupped form in front of his chest, as if he were trying to catch water.

A moment later, a brilliant pure silver light began radiating from his heart, before a tiny orb floated out of him. Around the white dot formed six long silver-tinted crystals, aligned in a plus shape, before eight smaller ones appeared in between them in an X shape. Around this unusual cross looking formation, appeared a dark silver sphere.

"This, is one of Seven Ideya. One of Seven keys to this world. Upon my death, this one will be lost to this world eternally, as a personally placed protection system. As long as I hold it, or when my end comes, even should someone destroy or obtain any or all of the other six, they will not be able to use them for anything more than personal elemental enhancers. **This **is the controller, that unifies the Chaos that is this world."

Everyone drunk in the sight. Their bodies shuddered at the pure, unrefined _power_ being emanated from within. Their bodies were flooded with the sensation of pure existence, comprehension beyond all knowledge, power, beyond power. This sensation faded as the crystal returned to Zero's chest.

"To conclude, while the system is different in execution, its functions are fundamentally the same. The difference being that the Administrators can use the Tower to alter the planet, or to have warning when an unexpected event is to occur. I personally have plans for the Fon Belt around this planet. You may find things a bit difficult at first, but as the World settles into its altered form, things will return to the ease of which you once knew."

"I thank you, young master, for protecting our world." Mayor Teodoro spoke with reverence.

Zero waved it off. "I did it for Arietta." The girl's cheeks pinked slightly, but she made no other motion except to grasp his hand in her own.

"Even so." Emperor Peony spoke next. "From day one since I met you, you've been pushing the rules of this world to their limits and beyond. You've taken Fonon research farther than even our greatest scholars have. You ignored the 'rules', the 'common sense' when wielding our world, and went far beyond the impossible. That you did it all for the sake of a girl who didn't even know you existed is beyond commendable. To me, from the day I received word that a skilled bandit had infiltrated the city and almost slew multiple innocents, only to be halted by his arm being severed by a small boy with a pocket knife, and ended with that same boy piercing his chest with a fist surrounded by lightning, I knew you were worthy of being one of my people.

You have honor, dedication, loyalty, drive, focus and determination. That you would even go as far as keeping Luke, a man _created _for the sake of destruction, to fulfill a prophecy that few knew, to end our world; sane and in control of his abilities shows signs of your character. While some of your actions and methods are questionable, I have seen for myself that you attack only when threatened, respond with a level of force required to just overwhelm your aggressor, and give no quarter to those who are corrupt. Many, with your level of power would seek to take over this world, and while, in a sense you have, you have not done so for your own sake or desires, but to keep safe one you cherish, without sacrificing needless lives or livelihood. I am honored to have been part of your growth, and would have you know that my kingdom is open to you, whenever you wish."

Zero's eyebrows rose in surprise. "I…can say little…except 'Thank you'."

Peony nodded. "That said…I do have a rather…pressing concern."

"Eh?"

"Jade…Nephry is missing."

Jade's eyes widened, before they narrowed. "I see."

"Pfft, she's not missing Peony. She's _dead._" Zero said pointedly. Emperor Peony's eyes widened. The others gasped.

"D-Dead? How do you know this?"

"Because _I _killed her!" Jade yelled while pointing at Zero. Zero simply smirked.

"Jade, Jade, Jade. Did you forget already? You can't _lie _about what happened."

Peony was confused.

"I…don't understand."

"Allow me to explain then." Zero said, smirk fading into a blank look.

"The ritual to alter the flows of the world called for the end of the last Fende, that is Tear. The others…nobody save for myself knew what I was planning, or even had an inkling that something was wrong. I was operating under the conceptual thought of: 'just knowing what is to come can change events.' This was a delicate operation, one that required focus and very little interruption. I kidnapped the last Fende to complete the ritual, and Luke returned to this plane of existence. I'd hoped to be finished, but luck wasn't with me. They found me and confronted me. Since I knew something they didn't, and I was acting on request of my own desires, and those of the World itself, I couldn't stop. We did battle, which led to my defeat."

The leaders were surprised. They'd all witnessed the young man's power first-hand, dealing with the Golden Dragon.

"In my defense, I was siphoning my attention between keeping the ritual going, keeping a barrier around the tower to protect from possible attack, keeping a _second _barrier around the tower to keep from them being blown off in the battle, and keeping a barrier around Tear so she would not be disturbed. Needless to say, though I know their fighting skills, and in a normal match could beat them all without a sweat, such limitations lowered me to less than their collective level. With my defeat, I was afraid everything would fail. Marta, the consciousness of Auldrant, used the mental connection I forged with her over the past few years to take over my form. Since her power is literally limitless, she was able to effortlessly keep all four tasks going, whilst confronting the group on her own.

However, she only engaged in direct combat with Luke, Jade, Natalia and Noelle. She summoned and made tangible the souls of the lost, Fon Master Ion, and that of Guy's sister, Mary. Ion did battle against Anise and Arietta, while Mary fought Guy. Mary was defeated by an instinctual counter-thrust from Guy, while Ion was defeated by Anise unleashing her hidden power gained from Marta's interference many years ago, and Arietta's own Beast Cloak. Using my form, Marta summoned another, only this time, she transported Nephry to the battlefield.

Jade, not paying attention to Nephry's confusion at being suddenly in a new location, as opposed to Ion and Mary immediately stating of their knowledge of events, and displeasure that their loved ones would hamper this world's growth, immediately struck her a fatal blow upon her approach to him, and tossed her aside, believing her to be just like the others. Ahh…it would probably just be easier to show you."

He pulled out the crystal again. Setting it in the center of the room, he held out his hands, a small ring appearing around the crystal, before splitting into three overlapping rings, surrounded by a circle of runes. Above, played out the final moments of the 'battle'.

They bore witness to Marta's dressing down of Jade, her brutalization of Nephry's remains, and the rage that was held within the soul of the Planet, towards one of her own. They heard her reasonings and witnessed her power first-hand, as well as her displeasure. When the scene faded, Peony had tears in his eyes.

"While it was Marta who summoned her to that place, it was Jade who struck her down carelessly, choosing to ignore the differences in the situation over simply removing an obstacle."

Peony took a shuddering breath and spoke tensely. "And you could do nothing to stop it?"

"Not a thing. I was unconscious at the time, and would only re-awaken for a brief period to finalize the Ritual, once the battle was over. I sympathize with you, Emperor, I don't agree with Marta's method of delivering her message, though I do agree with her assessment."

"Yet…you can speak so easily."

"For me, death is but an answer to life. It saddens me that such a vision of beauty had to be removed so pointlessly, but this was the will of the very World itself, to deliver that message. Jade is a potential threat to it, I'll have you know. He created the method of Fomicry, the very thing that drains the planet's resources much faster than is within its allotted range of insurance. He has gained power enough to possibly level a city, killing countless in a single blast, though it would bring his end as well. And since childhood he has had a disdain for other life-forms, believing them beneath him. And when his power slew one he cared for, and failed to return her, he simply delved deeper into that mindset."

Jade was silent. He could not act, for when he thought of it, he was treated to visions of Neprhy's body in his arms, blood on his hands, her eyes accusing him.

"There was a reason after all, that I kept slightly altering the ideas Marta had. As a Celestial Being she sees things too widely to fully grasp individual consequences. And for her, they rarely ever matter. In that instance, she was allowed to act upon her own will as she desired. I have since chastised her for it, but what is done, is done. Nephry's end was abrupt and unnecessary, but I have no doubt that her soul will find peace. Marta will see to that herself."

"And if she should take you over again?"

"The possibility of that happening is near my namesake." He quipped, eliciting a reflexive chuckle from the Emperor, despite his sadness. "She was only able to do so because I, in a sense, allowed it. The ritual **needed **to be completed, and that desire is what allowed her to possess me, to make sure it would finish. She, and the others, have met my mental defenses. And the others will vouch that if I do not wish for something to happen in my mind, it will not."

"Can say that again." Noelle piped up, making Peony chuckle louder.

"Nothing's more embarrassing than having your ass _supremely _handed to you on a silver platter by a twelve-year-old girl. _Even _if you're only a _thirteen_-year-old." Anise added.

"Your mental defense is a little girl?" King Ingobert asked in surprise.

"The most powerful, yes. She is a manifestation of my true self, personified into that form for better synchronization between my conscious mind, and my subconscious. After all, it's easier to trust a little girl that calls you 'daddy' and is entirely loyal to you, than anything else, is it not?" Zero asked, knowing that he was speaking to a 'father.'

Ingobert nodded. "Indeed."

"Very well. If you will excuse me, I have some last things to check on for the day before I go out and find dinner. You have been told the required information, and can now properly address your people. For the time being, the world is safe, and can be at peace." Zero stated. The leaders nodded and rose as he turned.

"Hey." Arietta said. He turned around. "Is it Tower stuff?"

"Not really, just my own little practice. I got a bit of an upgrade too due to Marta using me as a vessel, so I need to make sure I'm still able to control myself."

"I'm coming with."

"Eh?"

"I haven't seen you in months, had to fight you, then watch you get possessed and summon my old crush, _then _get beat up by your not-child, and then wait till you showed up? Yeah, I'm sticking with you whether you like it or not." She said. Zero just smiled, pulling her into a close embrace, kissing her gently on the forehead.

"Well then, you can keep an eye on things."

"Hey!" Noelle called out to them. They both turned.

"Mind an extra? Or is this a private thing?"

Arietta looked at the blonde.

"_I'm sure Noelle will be glad to hear you love her too, Sensei." _Luke's words fluttered back into her mind. She gave a very slight frown.

_They had a fling before he saved me. They forged a weak connection through lust before he could save me. But he's been focused on __**me**__. We haven't even mated yet…but I've marked him as mine. She has feelings for him, and he for her, but they're not as strong…or rather…he's __**weakening **__them of his own choice, to stay loyal to me. I've already claimed him as my own but…he's not a possession…_

"_What's wrong Arietta?" _The girl thought back to a conversation she had with Anise, not long after Zero's disappearance.

"_Anise…what does Love feel like? What does it mean?"_

"_Jeez, you sure ask heavy questions." _The girl replied. _"I don't know. I don't think anyone knows really. It's…different for everyone, and it doesn't really have a true definition. All I know is that it's not something you want to tie down. It's like water, it can take whatever form its surroundings let it, but otherwise it's a free-flowing thing. I've heard some other people talking about it, and a lot of them try to make it about one single person or thing…but when I hear people saying that it's something that flows freely, it just feels right. I heard someone say that if you love someone, you'll let them do whatever it is they believe they need to do. Because if it's strong enough, in the end, you two will come back together, and stay that way."_

Arietta's head tilted to the side.

"_Does that make any sense?"_

_It does. Who is to say that he cannot love me and her at the same time? Who is to say that he will? Or that it will be the same level? Nobody. He gave his life for mine. Shed blood, sweat, tears, even fragments of his own existence, his own mind, to keep me safe, and alive. He taught me his method of weaving, he gave me closure with Ion and Mother…he gives and gives…the intangible, the things we cannot put a price on, the things humans take for granted. He desires me, this much I know. But if he desires her as well…_

All this took place in the span of a second. Tear frowned towards Arietta, feeling the girl's jumbled thoughts due to their shared connection. Zero was currently oblivious, still riding the waves of his success and pleasure.

"Sure." Arietta said, noting the slight smile on Noelle's face at her words.

_Who am I to deny him? Besides…_

_She's an interesting partner._

_

* * *

_

**A/N: **FUCKING FINALLY! It's done! It's fucking complete! This goddamn chapter, which has been bothering me FOREVER, can finally be posted. I know I've probably bastardized how the Towers work on Ar Ciel but remember this is still Zero's take on things. They aren't going to work the same way. We're into **my **plot now. Actually there isn't _too _much left. So hopefully it won't take long for another update. No promises though.

CF: Damn right. It's a talky chapter, but there's some brief asskicking in the beginning for yeh.

Renn: Been forever, can't remember jack that I responded to you with. Here's the next installment, some Jade deconstruction but I personally don't think I so much _bashed _him as I did point out his major pointless character flaws, and forced them to start resolving.

Early Tolerable Holidays to all. I'm still pissed with Namco-Bandai for being asshats and not bringing over Vesperia PS3, or any of the more recent Tales Of… games. They could have a viable answer to shit like Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest but nooo. Pussies.


	12. Paradigm Shift

A few days passed and Luke had now found himself at home, accompanied by Tear for a dinner with his family. Surprisingly, talk remained chipper, and none delved into asking Tear about her new role as partial guardian for one of the most important facilities on the planet. However, a _different _topic was pursued during the conversation.

"Luke…it's been a long while…and I must ask. Do you know why it is that Zero detests me so?" Natalia spoke hesitantly.

She would never _not _hold ill will towards Zero for removing her ability to bare children through his…unusual magic. But after nearly having herself, and her home erased by the powerful walking erasure clause, she wished to know what it is that she did that caused him to react so heavily towards her. After all, from what she could surmise, it was merely his own preference and lack of desire to, that kept her personally safe. If that should ever change…

Luke put down his utensils and sighed. Not a weary sigh, but a sigh of resignation.

"It's actually better that you asked me instead of him." He admitted.

"Why is that?" She replied.

"You've seen him. He can be…cruel…to those he dislikes. Likely he'd give you the answer you were looking for, but do it in such a painful manner that in the end, it would cause you to question whether it was worth continuing or not." Luke shook his head.

"But yes…I do know why."

* * *

"_Sensei…why do you hate Natalia so much?"_

"_Eh? Heh, I was wondering when you were going to ask that."_

_The two were sitting on the edge of the Inn's roof, night sky stars twinkling above them._

"_It's because she's fake."_

"_What?"_

"_She leads a false life. I can't respect or care for someone who does such a thing."_

"_Then why do you like Arietta?"_

_Luke expected a reprimand, but instead, Zero just laughed._

"_Good eye. It's a close thing, but their situations are different enough. With Arietta, it was that she was leading a false existence due to the people around her keeping her in the dark. It was no choice or action of her own that caused it. Can't ask a question if you don't know it's supposed to be asked, right?"_

_Luke nodded._

"_Natalia on the other hand…she participates in things. You see…she does the things she does for the wrong reasons."_

"…_What do you mean?"_

"_You've seen it yourself Luke. Many would claim she's a good person, a kind princess who listens to her people. All of these may be true, but the reason she does things is false."_

"_How so?" Luke was now quite interested._

"_Recall Luke. Didn't she herself prove it? Sheridan, she congratulated you on desiring to save Ginji because 'that's what a noble is supposed to do.'"_

_Luke's eyes widened._

_Zero nodded, noting that Luke figured it out. "Exactly. I hate her because she doesn't do things due to her own will. She does things because she believes that's what she is __**meant **__to do. She performs good deeds and kindness because she has been informed that is what a person of her station is meant to be doing. She desires to be a true noble, and thus follows these 'rules' to the letter."_

"_I…never thought about it like that."_

"_Strip her title away from her, she is nobody. The one called 'Natalia' doesn't exist. Her subjects love her because of her actions, but her actions are merely born due to her upbringing and conditioning as a princess. She believes it to be the required actions of her, and seeks to fulfill them. I give her credit for doing so in the first place, but that she chooses to do these things out of requirement and not true personal desire, that credit is immediately revoked._

_She doesn't have any knowledge of anything other than Nobility, and what she has been raised to believe being one means. Behold yourself in comparison Luke. I respect you because of how you live your life. You do as you choose, when you desire it. The good deeds you perform are either consequential to your desires, or because you feel they should be done, because __**YOU **__feel they should be done. You may be of noble blood and upbringing, but you perform your actions based on your own will, not due to some title."_

_Luke bowed his head._

"_You are who you are because of what you choose to do. Compare to Natalia who is who she is because of her conditioning. She doesn't do these things because she truly desires to, she does them because it is her 'duty.' And she desires to fulfill her duty, little more. I cannot abide by a person who lives life in such a way. They are little more than tools, and what happens when one has no need for a tool? They get shelved, or worse, thrown away. The worst is that she has deluded herself into believing that there is no other possible way."_

_He took a breath and continued._

"_Behold how she interacted with Guy. Here you can further see the flaws in her thought process. To her, Guy is a servant of House Fabre, he has a duty, a purpose. To her Guy is not a man, but a tool. When she has no need of him, she disregards his existence. On top of which, she blatantly ignores his phobia of being physically close to a female, and reprimands him for having it. To her, because he is not a man but a tool, he is defective, because he cannot fully perform the action of which she expects him to. She chastised you for consorting so closely with him. To a mindset like hers, everyone has a place in the world, and those that step out of that place are to be condemned. That is how a 'noble' thinks. Thus, it is how she thinks."_

_Luke sighed. So far, basically everything was true. Looking at it from an outside view like this, Natalia wasn't as nice as she seemed to be._

"_Plus, I can't stand how she treated your situation. Though this hatred extends to your whole family."_

_His head snapped up._

"_Rather than accepting what happened and starting from scratch, they decided to confine you, and attempt to force you to re-become who they believed you to have once been. On top of that, they willingly held back the information of your supposed destiny. The problem isn't just the blatant ignorance they pushed upon you when it came to your fate, but that they did not take into account that 'you', and by you I mean Asch, only turned out the way he did, because of what they did the __**first time**__."_

_Again, Luke's eyes widened. He never thought of it like that either._

"_You cannot get the same results by expecting them to appear without performing the same actions that caused those results in the first place. By treating you like someone who was merely missing parts of his memory, rather than someone __**without those memories at all**__, they already doomed themselves to having a completely different son. Rather than starting over, and taking the chance that eventually you may remember some things, thus allowing them to skip ahead, or at the least just brush over it briefly, they chose to act like you should have known from the getgo, and didn't bother changing themselves to match __**you**__._

_And in Natalia's case, she followed suit, not bothering to question what the others were doing. She is a tool, a puppet. She follows her directives without question. If you told her that her blood could easily increase the power that the Kimlascan royal family holds, therefore improving the lives of her people, she would slice her own chest open and die with a smile on her face."_

_Luke stared._

"_So in the end Luke, I cannot stand her because she is not a person. She's barely a concept. She's a tool. And until she becomes something more, she will be nothing but a buzzing fly in my ear."_

* * *

Natalia stared at her 'cousin' in shock. Tears were running down her face. Zero's words were harsh indeed. And this was the _light _version? And yet, Luke wasn't done.

"To further drive home his statement, he compared you to Emperor Peony. _'A man,'_ he said _'that was not born in nobility, but was turned it. He holds my respect because of this. Why? Simple, he understands the difference between duty and desire. He follows his duty, but he had desires beforehand, and chose to give them up for the most part. But he didn't make that initial choice out of duty, but because he desired to. The desire to become nobility, the desire to lead his people, was much stronger than the others._

_Maybe not fully, but he wished at some level to be the one to protect and guide all these people, thus he made the conscious choice to fulfill that desire. Now, he follows his duty, but rather than being controlled by it like Natalia is, he is in command of it. He follows his duty because he desires to. But he only has that duty, because he desired it in the first place._

_He chose to give up his personal desires for his duty, but in turn, to do so itself, was his desire. Natalia has made no such choice, and were one to say she had one, she would immediately ignore them. To her, there is no choice, there is her role, and that is all.'_"

She wanted to flee. She wanted to run to her room, bawl her eyes out and not look at anyone for days. Immediately she pushed that thought aside.

And then promptly threw up.

Tear jumped out of her seat, hands glowing with calming fonons, trying to relax the Princess' stomach.

Natalia cried out in agony. She was in pain, not physically but mentally. Her mind was beginning to fragment, mental state collapsing as all of her thoughts and actions as far back as she could recall came rushing through her head. Pain beyond all known comprehension suddenly ripped through her skull as every scent, word, sound and feeling she'd experienced all played out as once, all of her thoughts and wishes slamming to the forefront of her mind. Every memory turned grey, every sound became muffled as her mind screamed.

_Lies lies lies lies LIES!_

She'd just proved Zero correct. By pushing aside her _desire_ and killing it with the subconscious thought that _a noble shouldn't be so selfish_, she made herself physically ill from the revelation that she was _exactly _how Zero described. Her mind was in turmoil. The proverbial rug was now pulled from beneath her feet. Not only was she told what it was that made Zero dislike her so, but he had been proven correct by her own actions. The worst part was?

It all made _sense_.

_Everything is false! Everything is a lie!_

She wasn't human. She was nobody. She was just a tool.

She didn't hear their fearful yells as her vision turned black, body slumping in Tear's arms, the world of unconsciousness grasping her.

All she knew, was pain.

She slept for days, her form not waking once. The world's best healers, even Tear herself could find nothing wrong with the girl. Nothing physically at least. Yet she would not wake, and the tears would not stop. Her body would occasionally begin to shudder violently, convulsing as if thousands of volts of electricity were shooting through her muscles. Her father and mother remained by her side as much as possible, Luke visiting often. But none could help her.

Save maybe one.

* * *

Much like how the sight of the Albiore brought calm to the people of the world, the sight of a glittering light streaking through the sky brought awe and a mite bit of worry. It was widely known amongst the people that Zero Shinzaki was a god among men, and where he went, either peace, or disaster would follow. But no matter which one was to be brought, the shimmering sight of his glowing wings informed the people that something _interesting _was about to happen.

He briskly walked through the entrance hall of Baticul Castle, Arietta easily keeping up with his stride. Her depression lifted, she found herself getting a mite taller as time passed, still shorter than Zero, but now, she only had to take a step and a half to match his one.

This pleased her greatly.

The two were bowed at by the guards, as they entered the Throne Room. King Ingobert was on the throne, with Luke and his family lining the sides, Tear next to Luke.

"Ok…why am I here?"

"What has Luke informed you of?" The king responded.

"All I got was a headache from him blarging at me to come over as soon as possible."

Arietta noticed Tear, and relaxed.

"_**Kiafa hynne mea? Pagle tes yor?"**_ She spoke suddenly, surprising even Zero.

"_**Fou paks ga kiafa hynne yor."**_ Tear responded in kind.

The two shared a faint glow for a moment, before both their eyes opened.

_Oh yeah, I forgot they could do that._ Zero thought.

"Something is wrong with Natalia. She's been unconscious for four days now, body occasionally convulsing, crying continuously. Even Tear noticed nothing physically wrong with her."

Zero blinked. _Don't see what this has to do with me. Goddess knows I don't like her._ "What was the last thing she did before this happened?"

Arietta stared right in his eyes. "She asked why you hated her."

Zero blinked, an eyebrow rising. He turned to Luke.

"I told her what you told me. She seemed disturbed by it, but then she looked horrified and then vomited suddenly. After that, she started hyperventilating and then passed out. She's been asleep since then."

Zero crossed his arms. "I still fail to see what this has to do with me. It's not like I laced anything on her. Hell even now the only thing I can do with word spells is my scribing trick."

"Sensei…"

"Zero-no. Sir Shinzaki." Ingobert began. "I beg of you, please. At the very least, see to her. I ask you not as a King minding his Princess, but as a Father…wishing his Daughter well."

Zero snorted. "Funny. Your words hold little sway with me, traitor. That it was required to be beaten into your head that blood is meaningless when it comes to family marks a stain on your record. Further that you would so easily throw Luke's life away, yet cherish the life of a girl you so willingly rejected, despite the length of time you did. I may not like Natalia, but even my hatred temporarily abates when it comes to one who has been betrayed by her own family. She may have forgiven you, Luke may have forgiven you, but I do not forget. You were not under any mental manipulation, only glory mattered in your mind. That you would be so consumed by your own station that you would even for a time throw away your own cherished child, proves what type of man you are."

The king simply lowered his head. There was a time when he would have raged and sent his best at Zero.

Seeing how much _power _this boy commanded…and knowing his words to be true, stayed his hand.

Arietta stayed silent. Zero was…harsh. But he'd spoken of his family back in his old world. While not anywhere near as bad as even her life, his was still troubled. And if there was one thing he grew up hating, it was betrayal. Doubly so if it was a parent to a child.

"Then do it as a favor to me." Luke said.

Here, Zero surprised everyone by smirking.

"You've learned well Luke." Zero chuckled. "Fine. If it's a favor to Luke, I can…attempt, to shelve my hatred."

* * *

He stared at her form.

"I've said it in my head many times. But if she wasn't such a _bitch _she'd actually be beautiful." Everyone blinked at that.

"What? Physically she's very attractive. She's not a total squishy due to her endurance training in learning archery, her features are striking, she's a very good looking person. But her personality is a massive turn-off."

He gently stroked a lock hair from her face. "yes, she's much prettier when she's quiet. One can almost forget the stupidity she adheres to." He stated softly. The others were amazed by how gentle his voice sounded, like a parent speaking of a child...or a lover, talking about their other half.

"Ari, anything?"

"She smells fine. I think it really isn't a physical thing. Something's keeping her asleep."

Zero sighed.

"Is there nothing that can be done for her?" Ingobert asked.

"Physically? No. She's in perfect health really."

"She is…doomed then."

Zero said nothing. He surprised everyone further when he gently stroked her face, wiping away a tear from her cheek.

"You say she had just been told of my reasons for hating her, correct?"

"Yeah." Luke responded.

"And other than being sad, for the most part, she looked fine, right?"

"For a bit, yeah."

"And you also say she had a look of horror on her face for a moment, that appeared from nowhere, correct?"

"What are you-

"Yeah, she did." Luke cut off his uncle.

"And immediately after that look of horror, she expelled her dinner."

"That's right."

Zero chuckled. Then laughed. He laughed long and loud.

Even Arietta was taken aback.

"HaHA! Bloody _fucking _hell!" He looked down at the sleeping girl, tears of laughter in his eyes. "Well, maybe I _did _do something right when I took away your children."

"Sensei?" Luke was now very worried.

"Ahh. Oh Luke, I know _exactly _what's wrong with her." He spoke with mirth.

"Out with it man!" Ingobert all but yelled.

"She's _dying_."

Eyes all around widened in horror. Yet Zero didn't stop smirking.

"…there's something you're not telling us." Luke said.

The smirk widened. "She's dying because she's _fighting._ She's fighting _herself_."

"Wh-what does that mean? You're speaking gibberish!" Ingobert stated.

"Oh that's right, I forgot this world wasn't as advanced when it came to mental practices as mine was." Zero grabbed the chair from next to Natalia's bed, turned it around so its back was facing the group and straddled it.

"In my world there was an entire medical branch dedicated to the mind. We didn't have magic to be able to peer into things and make visible the hidden, but we combined our science and research into events and came up with ways to tell what was wrong. One of the things that I was interested before my untimely end and subsequent entrance, was the effects of the self, on the mind. What I mean is to say that I was looking into how the conscious will could control or be controlled by the subconscious mind. I won't go into too much detail, but suffice to say, I know _exactly _what's going on with her."

"Which is?"

"From what you told me, it sounds like she had a desire. Knowing emotions, she probably desired to flee the table and cry in her room alone. However her upbringing and station forced her to consciously override that desire, as that's not what a noble does. From there, I surmise that she **noticed **this happen."

"And she only noticed it because she asked me why you felt the way you did about her. And because I told her, I gave her the key to seeing herself from the outside."

"Exactly Luke. So she noticed her conscious mind grip the desire to be a **normal girl **and have a good cry, and kill it. That right there, must have _shredded _her mind from the inside, as she was now forced to see herself the way I did. She learned that my views on her were now potentially correct, she was exactly as I described her as, and that made her sick."

"That's why she looked so horrified! She realized you were **right** about her." Luke realized.

"And the revelation made her physically ill for a moment."

"But why is she unconscious then?" He asked.

"Because she _never recovered_. It's like how your family _should _have reacted to you not even knowing how to walk properly. Were you to not have been a replica, the case would have been horrible mental regression. Your mind would have to been shredded, all information, gained knowledge lost. Sealed? Destroyed? Only time would tell. The mind is a powerful thing, but when the mind is not in harmony, bad things happen to the self."

Right as Zero said that, Natalia flew into convulsions again. Zero shot his hand out, placing it right between her breasts, before pushing down gently, a soft haze around his palm. Immediately Natalia calmed down, her body settling into a softer sleep. The others stared in shock. He acted swiftly, yet gently. None before could calm her form as it buckled. It was all they could do to hold her down.

"Proof. Because her mind is collapsing upon itself, her body is reacting. The mind is less focused on keeping its functions proper, and more focused on fixing itself. But this is where the problem comes in. Now that she has _seen _her internal defect, a part of her wishes to rid herself of it. Be it to prove me wrong, or because she truly does not wish to be a tool, I cannot say. But this newly born part of her is rebelling against the concept of self that she had developed for so long.

Though it is fresh, it is obviously quite powerful, mostly because it is a **desire**, and it is her first true honestly bloomed one. Due to this, since both sides of her mind are fighting, it's quite possible that she's stuck in her head. The convulsions are a result of her internal strife."

"And the tears?" Luke pushed.

"Most likely a result of circulating self-hatred. She is upset because now she doesn't know who she is. Being rejected by her father that one point was enough to jar her mind a bit, but because of the swift resolution, and the company she kept, it was easily recovered. _This _has no swift answer. There is no easy way out, and there is little comfort to be gained from others. Out of everyone, Luke would be the only one to understand her position. But were he to speak, she would cling, much like she did to Asch. And then she would merely become a puppet again."

"So it's up to her."

"Yes. And she will fail. Thus, she will die."

"What?" Ingobert blurted out.

"As strong as this new mind within her is, it's still not strong enough. To her subconscious, it is an outsider, it is weak, fresh-born. It cannot stand against the years she has had already. But it won't bow. And it is likely that she will simply end up collapsing her mental state to a point that she will be little more than a human shell. With that done, her end will be called for, because she will have already died mentally."

"We can do nothing…" Ingobert collapsed to his knees.

"…You can help her though." Arietta said. Everyone stared at the pink haired girl.

"What makes you say that?" Zero stated.

"Because we've _been _in your mind. The Dive machines. You can get into her mind, and help her."

"And why would I waste my time and resources?"

"As an experiment. You wouldn't be wasting your time because it could simply be a test of your skills. See if you can fix what was to believed to be unfixable."

"And what makes you think I can?"

"You fixed me. Yes, I was awake and listening, but you _did _break me a bit. When nobody refuted what you had to say about Ion being a replica, it hurt. And if I didn't have my hatred for the others having killed my mother at the time to fall back on, I probably would have been in a similar state."

"But _you _were willing to listen."

"At this point wouldn't she be? You were able to help me accept the truth, why wouldn't you be able to help her?" Arietta genuinely wished to know.

"Learning to accept the truth about another is much easier than learning to do so for the self. The view of the self is shaped upon belief, and belief is shaped through desire. I can no more say who the true Natalia is than Luke can. Only she would know who she truly is, and she would only know that through finding it herself."

"Then _help_ her find it. You've already shown her what she was before. Help her find who she is to be now."

"Why?" he asked.

"Why _not_?" was the retort. She attempted to use his own logic against him.

"I hate her."

"You hate who she _was_. Now she is at a crossroads. There is a chance she will no longer be that which you hate. Can you truly pass this up?"

"You make it sound like I have to change everything I don't like. I'm not God. I don't have the need or desire to manipulate everyone to be how I want them to be."

"No, but you _can_. You have the power to. And that you don't use it for your own whims is a good thing, you're not a tyrant. But you have the ability to help her become something that would not only bring her peace, but remove something that you dislike. It's a win-win situation."

"I would have to sync with her."

"Haven't you already? You understood her so easily before, you already have a level of synchronicity with her."

"Why do you want her alive so much? She's done nothing for you. Hell she damn near _killed_ you. Twice, I might add."

"And you were there to save me each time. She was doing her _duty_. She didn't do it because she truly wanted to, she did it because she believed she had no other choice. Can you truly fault a sword for striking down your love, and not the hand that wields it?"

Zero flinched violently, shock in his eyes.

"When the _hell _did you get in my head like that?"

"When I accepted that I loved you. When I accepted that I now had someone in the world who would be there for _me_, because _they _wanted to. Someone who cherished me for myself, and not my ability. Someone who would tell me the truth no matter what, even if it hurt me, only because they cared so much they refused to lie. When I accepted that, I began to understand how you thought. And I listened. And through listening to you, I understand you. _**Mea paul yor.**_"

Zero stared at her.

For a minute, only the sound of Natalia's ragged breaths could be heard.

Zero shook his head. He pulled out a small crystal. It glowed silver for a moment.

"**What's up?"**

"Noelle…bring the Albiore to Baticul. We need a transport."

"**Uhh…sure thing. Be there in ten."**

Arietta smiled.

"Have her brought to the Tower. I'll fly ahead and start calibrating the Dive system." He stood and moved towards the door.

"Why?" Ingobert asked.

Zero stopped.

"Arietta made me see something I didn't want to look at."

He sighed.

"She's only in this state for one reason. She _wants _to change."

Luke's eyes widened as he understood.

"And that…is a desire I can respect."

* * *

It hurt.

Good glorious gods it hurt. Every part of her felt like it was on fire, yet being ripped asunder at the same time.

Trapped in a whirlwind of noise, sound and light. All she could feel was searing gales of agony ripping through her form. She wanted to change, no she wanted to stay the same. She didn't know what she wanted, she didn't know where she was…

"Who am I?"

She was Natalia, princess of Kimlasca. But…was that truly who she was? Was it her? Or just her title? Was she a person? Or a tool? Everything she'd done so far pointed towards the latter. She was nothing, nobody…everything she did was fake. She wasn't a real person. Just a title…a figurehead. Something to be used as needed and shelved when not. Were her feelings fake too? Was this pain false as well?

And suddenly, the pain stopped. She had curled up into a ball, hiding her head behind her knees, praying, crying, begging…and it all ended.

Was she dead now? Was this it?

She lifted her head.

"Where…?"

She was in a moonlit field of glowing white flowers. Petals were coasting the sky, resembling mini-stars twinkling in the light of the moon. The sky was clear, a stream of color gently waving around. It was paradise.

"I'm impressed. For someone in so much pain, you don't have much to show for it." A familiar voice spoke from behind her.

"I should be surprised. But you've gone beyond the impossible before. I guess this is it." She said, not looking back.

She felt the ground beneath her shake slightly, his steps causing small rumbles in the earth. She felt a whoosh of air, and in a puff of petals, he dropped next to her.

"It? What's it?"

"This. I'm going to die here, aren't I? You're here to kill me finally." She said without hesitation.

"That wasn't in my plans but if that's what you want."

"Why are you here then? I presume this is not naturally a space within my mind." She still refused to look at him.

"It's up to you. Do you want to move forward, remain where you are, or give up?"

"I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice. The question is, are you willing to face what comes of that choice?"

"Why are you here Zero?"

"Because I want to be."

"You hate me."

"I hate Natalia, yes."

She nodded.

"But see, there's one little problem. Natalia is a fake. A tool. I can hate a person, but how can I hate a tool when the tool has no mind of its own? It exists only to be used."

A tear slid down her cheek. She gasped when she felt his thumb gently brush it aside. The surprise of the action caused her to finally look at him.

"I'm here to see if you'll decide to become a person."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"What do you seek to get out of this? What did they offer you? What is it _**I **_have that would be of interest to you? Money? With your skills you have no need of it. Fame? What more could you be known for? What do you want from me? My body? Is it the feel of my flesh you seek?" She shifted towards him. It was here that he actually noticed she was naked. She then lunged forward, grabbing his arms and placing his hands firmly on her breasts.

"There! Take it! What more can you desire from me? You've taken my children, so why not the rest?"

He stared at her, surprised. _Do I truly seem like such a monster to her?_ He pulled his hands away from her body, sighing and shaking his head.

"Must I be doing this for payment?"

"It would only make sense! Why else would you waste time on a nothing like me?"

"Now since when do you consider yourself nothing?"

She looked away again. "Since I learned you were right. You'd always been right. The proof was in my face I just didn't want to see it."

"True…but the thing about someone being right is…they're only right as long as the criteria _makes _them right."

She blinked, confused, looking back at him. "What?"

He gently caught a petal from the air. "This petal…it's white, correct?"

"Yes…"

"Why?"

"Because of its color."

"Not really. It's white because that's the color our brain says it is when our eyes look at it. The way it reflects light gets processed by our minds and tells us that it's white. On top of which, we are informed by our elders what 'white' is, thus their beliefs shape what we consider an object to be."

"Same thing."

"Maybe. But it's white."

"What's your point?"

He snapped his fingers. She gasped as the world around her inverted in color, standing up to get away from him.

"Now what color is it?"

"What? What did you do-

"Natalia." She stopped. "What color, is the petal?"

She wanted to say it was white. That's what color it was. But she decided to just snark at him. "It's **black**."

"Exactly."

She blinked. _Wait what?_ That was the…right answer?

"It's black because that's what your eyes say it is. The way your brain is perceiving color claims that this petal is black. To me, its white, but to you its black." He snapped his fingers again, the world returned to normal.

"What…was the point of that?"

"Don't you get it? You were correct about the color both times. Think about it for a bit."

She stared at him. She mulled things over in her head but none of it made sense. He seemed to realize this and sighed.

"It proves my point Natalia. You were right **both times**. Shouldn't you have been wrong at least once?"

She tilted her head, confused. She sat back down.

"What I did, was change the criteria for the concept of 'correct'. To be correct in this case, you had to answer what color the petal was. However, for you, I changed what 'right' was. If you'd said it was white both times, you'd have been lying the second time, and thus been wrong. Since you said it was black, you were right. And you were right, because I changed how you viewed color."

"That…"

"Barely makes sense, I know. But I can simplify it for you. To be 'right' the criteria of the situation must fit your statement. When dealing with color, there is no true 'right' or 'wrong' because there are some people in the world who have deficiencies in registering certain colors. But with say…left hand versus right hand, there is a definitive situation to being correct or not."

"How so?"

He moved around so he was facing her directly. "Raise your right hand." She did so. "Now, raise the hand that would be _my _right." She rose her left.

"Wrong."

"What?" She was confused.

"Think about it Natalia. We're both humans. The concept of left and right is the same for us. Why would my right hand be your left?"

She looked at him, and then realized the trick. "We're facing each other, and thus opposite directions…but…because it has to do with the body, and not something abstract like a concept…"

"The answer is the same no matter what. Now, raise **my **right hand." She rose her right. "Good. now, raise **our **left." She was about to raise her left hand when she stopped. Then, hesitantly, she rose her right. He smirked.

"Very good. Now, why is that correct?"

"…because it's like a mirror. To the viewer, the person on the other side raises their left hand when you raise your right. In reality, you're both raising the same appendage, but to the observer, it looks like the wrong one is being raised."

"Exactly. Now, using this knowledge, how is it that I could be _wrong _about you?"

She looked at him. "…by changing what made you correct in the first place…" She understood the what.

"But…how can I do that?"

"You forgot didn't you? You're one of the few people in the world who can **actively be a different person.**"

"…what? What do you mean?"

"I hate Natalia. I hate her with a passion that is most definitely unholy. However, **Natalia** doesn't have to exist for a while. In fact, technically **Natalia **doesn't exist. **Natalia **died when she was a baby. However there was a girl that was born who resembled her a fair bit. Born to a large, powerful man. Her name was **Meryl. Meryl **was taken in the baby's stead to become **Natalia**. **Meryl** never got the chance to grow, or see the world. **Natalia **took **Meryl's** place in the world. But **Meryl,** unlike the real Natalia, is still alive. But she's hidden. Hidden under the fake Natalia."

Her mind was reeling as he spoke. Her eyes widened impossibly.

"You…you're saying…"

"I'm saying that you already have a completely different person you can be. While Natalia's skills and memories can be useful, Meryl should probably emerge to the world for a while. I've never met Meryl, so I can't say what she's like. Nor can I say I hate her. How can I hate someone I know nothing about?"

Something in her shifted. This shift was represented in this unusual space as a ripple through the air. The sky seemed to crack and fragment.

"It's up to you what you do, but Natalia and Meryl are the same person for the moment. The thing is, Natalia's been alive while Meryl's been asleep. Maybe it's time for Meryl to wake up. Natalia may be stuck as nothing more than a title, a tool. Both are you however, and both should be embraced. But considering Natalia's been in control for the longest time…maybe Meryl should take over for a while. I wouldn't mind meeting Meryl anyway…"

She looked down at her hands, seeing how they seemed to split. An echo of her form appeared to be vibrating around her. Once again, he was right. She wasn't born Natalia Luzu Kimlasca-Lanvaldear, daughter of Ingobert, King of Kimlasca. She was born Meryl, daughter to Badaq, the one who would become Largo, the Black Lion. She _became _Natalia when she was taken as a baby. She was _never _Natalia. Natalia always **was **just a title.

As she thought on things, Zero continued. "Meryl is a blank slate, a complete unknown. She can be whoever she wishes to be, for she was born to a simple man, not into a royal family. Meryl has **choice.** Or at least, she has a chance at it. She can't very well **choose **anything if she isn't awake to make those choices, now can she? Meryl isn't bogged down with Natalia's life or destiny. They may share the same friends and know the same people, but they don't have to live the same way.

Meryl has freedom, a chance to choose where her life goes, a chance to live the life Natalia cannot. Nobody says that Meryl and Natalia have to _stay _one person. Where Natalia has become a tool, Meryl is the base elements. What she becomes now, is entirely up to her."

She had been living a lie. She **had **been living a lie! But…the lie had gone on so long…ran so deeply, it felt so true. And to the people, it _was _true. To _her _people, she was Natalia. Even if she was born Meryl, and even if they _knew _she was born Meryl, to them, she was Natalia, their Princess. She was kind to them…but she was kind to them because it was what she was _taught _to do. It was what was _expected _of her. She didn't truly choose it. She didn't _want _to choose otherwise, but she didn't want to be kind to them out of duty. She wanted to love them because _she _loved them, not because that was what was expected of her.

As the field of flowers began to dissipate, she made her choice. She knew, what she would do now.

* * *

Finally, the door opened. The small group had been waiting for what felt like hours. After placing Natalia in a comfortable looking bed, Zero left to another room, sealing the door behind him. They could not enter until his task was completed. It would seem now, he was done.

Luke, Tear, Arietta, Noelle, King Ingobert and Luke's Mother and Father all piled into the small hospital-like room. They saw the dirty-blonde girl start to rise from the bed, yawning and wiping sleep from her eyes. Immediately she tensed up as the king pulled her into a tight hug, mumbling words of joy and relief. He pulled away, confused as he felt no return from her, and noticed the very wary look on her face.

"What's wrong my dear?" He asked.

The girl just looked at him. "umm…who are you?"

* * *

She stood naked before the small gathered group arms and legs spread wide, as Zero bobbed up and down, leading a trail of red along her body in many loops and spirals, jagged lines and soft curves. Giggling but not flinching at the feeling of tiny prickles running around her form, she thought back to her short time here, recalling how odd her life had become in the twenty minutes she was awake.

Upon entering the room, he was immediately questioned as to why Natalia didn't know who they were. He blatantly ignored them all and grabbed a small chair before turning it around so its back faced forward and he plopped down on it.

"So, how are you feeling, Meryl?" Everyone _heard _the sigh of relief from her.

"Finally, someone who knows my name. Everyone kept calling me Natalia for some reason. I'm not my sister."

_So that's what happened. Fragmented both halves, turned them into separate personalities, and gave the classification of siblings. Damn, I really __**am **__impressed now._

"They didn't know about the switch coming. Hell, I didn't know about it. I just figured you'd be Meryl this time."

The girl nodded softly.

"You don't know them at all?" She shook her head.

"I get the feeling I should remember them, but…no, I don't. Nat's been kinda quiet too, I can barely hear her. All I can get right now is to listen to what you have to say, because you know more about what's going on than I do."

Zero chuckled. "Kinda. You know who I am then?"

She shook her head again. "No…Every time Nat says your name it sounds like empty noise."

"Huh…interesting." He gained a thoughtful look.

_Blank noise? Almost like a Zanpakuto really. So Natalia is still slightly awake, and feeding her information, but because the split is so fresh, and neither of them know truly how to handle having two minds in one body, the information transfer isn't complete…that…or Natalia is trying to let Meryl meet us under our own terms, and allow her to decide for herself if she wants to associate with us or not._

As Zero was pondering, Meryl fidgeted in her seat a bit. Her slight movement caught Zero's eye. He blinked, coming out of his musings. "Sorry, lost in thought."

She nodded. "So…uhh…who are you?"

"A guy with too many names." Zero sighed back. "Just call me **Zero**."

Her eyes widened at that, images, sensations, feelings flowing through her mind and body.

"_Not…the best idea."_

"_You can't reach it with Shukuchi, because the technique relies on rapid legwork."_

_"Tell me. A man lashes out, blade in hand. A child is impaled. Who do you blame?"_

_"What __**about **__you? Natalia is a whiny over-bearing idiotic princess who constantly puts down the second person in the entire world that her supposed Fiancé considers a friend, manhandled her way into the group because she wasn't satisfied with sitting on the sidelines by blackmailing Luke into letting her join, and constantly bitched about how different he was, never giving Luke the respect of backing the fuck off and letting shit come to him!"_

_"Remember how I said there was one of your group, who's very __**concept **__I can't stand?"_

_"Dammit Natalia, shut UP!" __**She froze as if slapped**__. "Zero __**hates **__your very existence, and only puts up with it because __I __asked him to! If you fight him in this duel he __**will **__kill you, no questions asked!"_

_**Zero strolled to the center of the throne room, and pointed his palm at the floor again. Another rumbling, this time accompanied by distorted waves emitting over the ground. A small circle appeared on the carpet, the area within shredding to pieces before an earthen pillar slowly rose from the floor. He watched it rise to the ceiling, before nodding. The ground stopped rumbling, and he casually leaned on it while staring at the King.**_

_**Natalia was freaking out inside her mind. She wanted revenge on the youth, for taking away her chances to make a family of her own, ignoring that she caused it herself…but now, witnessing his casual display of power, to do what no man, no person, had ever done before…**_

_**She wondered if maybe she was indeed, being a fool.**_

_"Well, you're only half right on both counts. There's a second reason why I didn't pick you, besides hating your existence. It's because you don't know a single offensive spell. And no, grafting fonons to your weapon to generate an effect after there's been a massive amount of said fonon doesn't count. FOF changes are different from normal spell casting."_

"_Natalia has made no such choice, and were one to say she had one, she would immediately ignore them. To her, there is no choice, there is her role, and that is all."_

"_I've said it in my head many times. But if she wasn't such a bitch she'd actually be beautiful."_

"_She's only in this state for one reason. She wants to change."_

_**Luke's eyes widened as he understood.**_

"_And that…is a desire I can respect."_

Recognition flared in her eyes. She bowed her head.

"…I remember you…" she whispered. She was trembling. Zero sighed and was about to get up when her hand gently grasped his. He could feel the shudders going through her body. He looked at her, confused.

"Nat…doesn't like you. And you don't like Nat. But…Nat wants me to thank you…because without you we would have been stuck. Without you, Luke would have been much worse off. The world…would be on its way out, and we wouldn't even know it until it was too late. Nat says you gave me the chance to finally wake up, to live my own life. Nat's afraid of you, of your power, of _**you **_but she knows that you're nothing to fear as long as she doesn't stand in your way…and she won't. She says she's going to sleep soon, after I'm used to things. And she wants to thank you…for giving us the chance to be free."

Zero sighed again, smiling softly at the girl as she looked at him, tears in her eyes. He brushed them away softly, gently placing his forehead against hers, as her arms shot up and around him, the girl's pain, hidden underneath a noble shell, all came flying out at once.

_And this was all she truly ever needed. A chance to be the girl she always was. A normal, plain girl for a little while. And now she can._

After that, he brought the group into a small room, and told Meryl to strip. Without question, and amongst the foul cries of some of the others, she did so. He waved his hand and the others were bowled over, landing on their butts while he slipped next to Luke and jammed a small needle attached to a tube into his forearm.

"Hold still." He instructed, and Luke, wary but used to his teacher's strange ways, did so.

For the next twenty minutes, Zero traced a line along Meryl's naked body with his fingers, though never touching her flesh, and Luke's blood would follow the areas he swiped.

"Before you ask." He began. "This is to help her out a bit. As it is, Natalia's memories are slowly leaking into Meryl's head, stimulated by names or sights. What I'm doing here, is making a small synchronicity array between her and Luke, in a similar manner that Luke and Asch used to have. Since Luke and Meryl aren't perfect copies of one another, ripping Meryl's fon-slots open won't do jack shit. So instead, I'm using something they _do _share, which is blood.

This array, will create a link between the two of them, that will give Luke a continuous vague sense of whether she's safe or not, as well as allowing him to pinpoint where she is if she's in danger, which will trigger automatically under a specific set of circumstances. I'm making it set in layers though, the primary trigger to activate when she's under a specific level of duress."

He looked up at her from between her legs, noting her soft flush at him being so close to her intimate areas. Tear was expecting Arietta to be frothing at the mouth at how close to kissing Meryl's lower lips Zero had become, but as she looked at the girl, and saw that Arietta was calmly painting her toenails a soft violet, giggling softly to herself, Tear blinked. She was astonished at how much _trust _Arietta had towards Zero.

That wasn't the case at all. Yes, Arietta trusted Zero beyond compare, but he was also her Alpha. And the Alpha must keep the pack going. She knew his whole life revolved around her and her existence, so if her Alpha had a few pack mates to rut with on the side, she didn't mind. She giggled when she remembered surprising both Zero and Noelle with just jumping up and making out with Noelle randomly after one training exercise.

That, and she knew he had no real feelings for the girl. Zero was one of the "do what it takes" kinds, when it came to things he truly desired done. Him being so physically close to her didn't matter, it was just flesh anyway.

"Specific level?" Meryl asked.

"Well yeah, won't do to have it flare up if you're just nervous about something. No, it'll trigger if it goes beyond a certain amount. But like I said, it's in layers. The first level is it activating and opening the connection between you two on its own. That'll alert Luke to something being off, but in the chance that it's just that your emotions went a bit haywire, you two will be able to talk and he might be able to calm you down. The second level is if he can't get through to you, it'll paint a soft picture of the last thing you saw, in his head. This way he can try to match an image to the sensation of where you are."

"Oh. That's useful. You can do that?"

"Only because you two share similar blood."

"Sensei, could this array do that for anyone?"

"No, unfortunately. The thing that binds you two together is your blood. Which is why I'm using _your _blood to make the array on her. It's so that way I don't have to make a separate array on you as well Luke. Since it's your blood being used to make the array, and when it completes it'll sync up with hers, you're basically being the one holding the hub of the link."

Luke nodded.

Zero stood up, clasped his hands together, and with a small flare of light as the array glowed brightly, he cheerfully called its completion.

"Now, to get you some clothes."

* * *

"…Sensei…do you have clothes for _all _of us in here?"

"Basically. Never know when one of you might end up shredding an outfit and needing a replacement after a big fight."

The others just stared deadpan at him.

"And how is it you happen to know our exact measurements?" Tear asked.

"Wiki. And the World. The World knows more though because it monitors growth. Wiki just has what you were either at the end of plot or just before you died."

"…right…"

Meryl stared brightly at all the clothes. "These…are mine?"

"Yep." In front of them was a series of racks, each holding a different mannequin wearing a set of clothing to be worn by one of the core group. Currently, they were looking at clothes created specifically for Natalia.

The still-naked Meryl gleefully looked at every inch of every outfit that was denoted to be 'hers'. After a minute or two, she nodded to herself.

"This one."

"Ahh, the Star of Malkuth. Very good choice. Probably a bit snug for a bit, but as you move around you'll get used to it."

The outfit was a form-fitting bodysuit of browns and greys with light golden trim, and perfect circular gold colored buttons up the front to the collar. Around the waist was a dark brown belt with silver buckle. A pair of similarly colored gloves with golden trim and boots with the same, completed the ensemble. She made a noise of affirmation as she buttoned the first three buttons from below, but noted her bust wouldn't allow her to button the rest. After trying pointlessly for a moment, she just shrugged and gave up, noting that her breasts sat comfortably in the material regardless. She turned and smiled.

"Very nice. Definitely eye-catching." Zero spoke.

"Thank you. Nat actually suggested it. I am, after all, a different person than she is, and she says she wouldn't be caught dead wearing something like this. Me on the other hand…"

"If you've got it, show it, right?"

Meryl smiled. "Exactly. I've been gifted with a good body. Why not let others admire it, and strive for the same?"

"Hah, very well done. Taking what could be a selfish notion, and focusing it outwards. If people have time to be jealous, they have time to exercise."

_Wow, she really __**is **__a completely different person. To think, someone so free and wild would be underneath all that stiff nobility._

"I still remember what you said to Tear too. And you're right. Neither she nor I know how to properly fight as a woman."

"Ok now I'm just flat stunned. You and Nat are nothing alike."

Meryl giggled, stretching to see how far she could move in the outfit currently. "Oh we're still a lot alike. But I'm free, and she's not. A blank slate, if you will." Zero blinked, eyes widening slightly at the return of his own terminology, before smiling.

"A self-aware blank slate."

"Yes…while you were painting on me, I started remembering some other things. I remember a lot about Nat's life, but I also remember that you once said its our experiences that forge who we are. I don't have any except waking up, and showing my body for you all. And I know it. But that's fine. That's what life is about I think…learning new things, finding yourself. I don't know who I am yet, I don't think anyone does really ever, but I'm gonna find out."

Zero clapped. "Well said indeed. I take it you like your outfit?"

"Like you said, it's a bit tight, but I'll get used to it."

* * *

It was decided that Zero and the others would bring Meryl to Malkuth, to see Emperor Peony and inform him of the change, as well as get her out of the tower. Luke's family was dropped off at the castle, and then the group headed for Grand Chokmah.

While wandering the city and seeing the sights, for Peony was currently in an important meeting of the state, Meryl almost clung to Zero's side. Well, the side not occupied by Arietta. Arietta and Meryl hit it off almost instantly, Meryl being captivated by the girl who was once a God General, and Arietta being very interested in how it felt to be a mind that was asleep for over eighteen years. The fact that both of them were interested in Zero's methods and magics was another drawing point.

All the while, Zero was musing.

_She wants to learn to fight like a woman. Well, she's got Natalia's memories of Archery but I can't help too much with that…wait…_

He blinked as an idea came to him.

_I could Pit her! If I make a set of daggers that can link together at the hilts like a longbow, she can learn how to get in close and not get hit, something Natalia never could do. Plus, if they can connect at the hilt to make a longbow, they can invert slightly to make a double edged almost pole-arm like weapon! She'd be deadly from every angle! And with her skill for the seventh fonon, I could teach her some Sound techniques…_

_Huh…I'm gonna have to thank Arietta later. Helping her out __**was **__a good idea!_

He pulled gently away from Meryl, eyes bright.

"Sorry, I just had an idea and I gotta head to the tower." He said to the surprised girl. He whirled around, making random passer-by gasp as an array of light shot from his back forming his wings.

"Tear, Ari keep an eye on her for me will you? Thanks!" He yelled as he shot off into the air, before the sky distorted around him. In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the Zero Shift, rocketing towards the Tower at sub-light speeds.

"I-wha-Hey!" Arietta didn't even get a word out before he up and vanished. She tilted her head, completely baffled at what could have caused him to suddenly race off like that. "What would you have to do at the tower…?" She asked herself softly.

* * *

He paced around his Mindscape, Marta before him. "Can it be done?"

"You would require very specific components to perform this task. Very _very_ densely coated objects."

"I know." He said. "But…can it be done?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"Because I want to know if I have to make a Marble or not."

Her eyebrows shot up. He was pretty much asking permission to create a Reality Marble.

"Again…why are you asking me?"

He looked at her. "…because I don't know if it's _painful _or not."

_Oh._ That's why. He was worried about harming her. Considering he wasn't speaking of an actual _physical _thing, he was rightly uncertain. She gave a soft smile.

"Create your distortion. It could possibly be done naturally, but the process would take months, and that is time I feel you do not believe you have."

"Well, it's not like it's an emergency or anything. I just…would like to make it and then get her started immediately, before too much saturation occurs. Natalia's holding back obviously, but they _are _the same person, just split in two, so sooner or later muscle memory is going to start taking over."

"I am aware of this. Go ahead, make your Reality Marble. I will deal with it."

"You sure?"

"Consider it a gift, for being a good mother."

"OI!"

Her laughter filled his mind as he slowly awoke.

* * *

It took the better part of six hours, but at the speeds he was able to move, he managed to gather all the components he needed.

_Alright, final check. Six pieces of fonon coated metal. Check._

He'd picked those up both at Mt. Zaleho as well as within the Meggiora Highlands. Considering one was literally inside a volcano, and the other was right next to a Sephiroth, they definitely fit his purposes. The metal would shape the weapons he was creating, as well as the bracelets that tied to them.

_Eight small fonon imbued crystals…check. Still gonna need to dig deeper in there for the other thing but these'll do for Meryl's._

He'd sheered them himself, eight thumbnail-sized rhombus shaped crystals gathered from the Ortion Caverns. The crystals were to be inserted into the bracelets to power their required actions. The bracelets would be both a method of attack and defense. From them, the arrows would be formed between the fingers, removing the need to carry a quiver around. _Or at least reducing it. If a Dead Zone pops up then she'll need something, but I've got back-up plans for that._

The defense came in where they would power a very low grade distortion field around her, reducing the damage she took by hampering the movements of the attacks. For magical attacks it would drain some of the fonons used to power the spell, increasing the speed and strikes of her arrows, while for physical attacks it would falsely harden her flesh, keeping blade and bludgeon alike from dealing full damage. She would still have to really _move _to not be hurt but in this case, if she were to be struck it wouldn't be _as _bad.

_Beaker full of her blood…Check._

While she slept, the tower produced a small tube and needle to pierce one of her veins and gather a small amount of her blood for study and safe-keeping. Blood could be used for many rituals, most of a controlling or manipulative nature, but some, like with the Resonance Seal, could be used for protective or enhancement purposes. For now, her blood would be used to douse the bracelets in, filling the grooves in which his scribes would be placed.

This would further tie the weapon to _her_, so only she would be able to use it to its full potential. By doing so, should someone else be to put on the bracelets, their arrows would be much weaker, and they wouldn't be protected. In fact, he could inscribe a weakening seal so anyone not with her blood trying to use them, would actually find themselves taking _more _damage, by way of creating a dampening field that slowed the body's natural recovery time.

_Alright…I think I'm ready._

He stood in a purposefully empty room of the Tower. Here, he called it his _Ritual Room_. Specially created to deal with the backlash of performing high-risk rituals in safety as well as security. Not even the girls could enter without his permission, for this was the one room of the tower that was _specifically _under his control. He took the beaker of blood away, placing it to the side, before standing in front of the other materials and closing his eyes. He took a steady breath, spreading his wings wide, before intoning his desire.

"_**Dai. Zero-Zero-Zero kousoku kikan kaihou. Jigen kanshou kyosuu houjin tenkai. Code: X.E.N. Koyuu Kekkai, kidou!"**_

* * *

Arietta and the others were speaking to Emperor Peony about the recent change in Natalia, as well as Arietta giving the others an overview of the things Zero was teaching her how to perform.

"So what I was doing wrong, was that rather than spinning continuously, I kept letting it drop. Apparently I-

She was cut off as her body flinched violently, eyes widening, mouth open in a soundless scream. The world around her distorted as for a brief moment, the Glyph of Chaos shimmered into view overlapping her form. A pink wall of energy began wafting off of her body as the glyph faded, the girl stumbling backwards. The others clamored to find out what was wrong but she gently shook her head, trying to make sense of the information that had slammed into her mind.

"Arietta what happened?" Luke cried out.

"I…He…He made a **Reality Marble**. Why would he…?" She stared off into space, visibly confused. "What in _Tia's _name would he need a Marble for?"

"Reality…Marble?" Meryl was confused. Absently, Noelle explained.

"It's a very…dangerous ability of his. It creates an enclosed space, or rather, converts a small area directly to his mind. Basically within a specified radius, he can create a distortion field that makes it so anything he desires can come true, but _only _in that field. The thing about Reality Marbles is that the World as a whole doesn't like the concept of an area outside its control, within its space. What makes it so dangerous is that the world tends to react violently to these fields, and tries to crush them."

"The hell would he need _that _for?" Guy blurted.

Tear shook her head. She was feeling a slight resonance as well, but not as much as Arietta. "Whatever it is he's doing, he's heavily focusing on either the first or sixth fonon." She said.

"How can you tell Tear?" Peony asked, intrigued by this development.

"Because _Arietta _responded. If it was a general need it would have been me who is resonating. He's using the Tower to boost his field, so we can detect a slight amount of what he's doing. That Arietta was the one to synchronize fully, means he's doing something that focuses on one of the elements she specifically governs, which are Light and Dark. He told me he would have preferred to mark Arietta with his personal sigil, but I was originally meant to be the one in control of that tower, as well as her being mostly trained in Light and Dark, which are the components for Chaos."

"Can you tell what he's doing?" Jade asked.

"No…" Arietta said softly. "He's…in a part of the Tower I cannot see. Blinded to my view he has become. All but this one location I can behold, it must be important to him." She said cryptically.

"Is he in any danger?" Meryl asked, worried.

"No…he is safe. It was not desperation this field was born in. Whatever task he is performing, it must be outside the natural laws of this world…which is…a tad worrisome. He himself has stated that this world is usually so flexible that needing a distortion like this would be rare…"

"Well…whatever it is, I'm sure he'll tell us." Luke stated confidently.

* * *

"**Wow…this feels…odd."**

_You ok?_

Marta had begun speaking to him.

"**It is an unusual sensation. I believe you humans would classify it as an 'itchy feeling.'"**

_Want me to just make a Circle?_

"**No. Continue with your task. I can ignore this."**

_I'll try to hurry anyway._

He felt light. So free. That was the drawback of a Reality Marble. Not only did it create a distortion that the world instinctively tried to correct, but one was filled with the feeling that they could do _anything_. The world was their plaything, rules, laws, they didn't matter. But he kept his focus. He had a task, and he wanted it done before time ran out. It was draining keeping the Marble up anyway.

_I'm cut off from the World right now. I could set it to replenish my energy, but then the marble would just take twice the amount. So I gotta hurry._

Beneath his feet appeared an array of circles. A seven pointed star formed within the center. He knelt down at the edge of the ring.

_Welp. Time to pull an FMA._

He closed his eyes again, envisioning what he required to have happen. He clapped his hands, feeling a spark of energy travel through his body for a brief moment. He placed both hands' fingertips on the ring, and focused.

He could see the light even from behind his eyelids. It was distracting, but he kept the image of what he wanted in his mind.

* * *

The sun was setting. The group decided to remain at Grand Chokmah for the night. They had settled down for dinner with the Emperor, who was more than pleased to have guests. Meryl was impressed with the amount of food, once again citing that while she has memories of it, it was the first time _she _had actually witnessed such a thing. As they had begun to eat, the dining hall doors opened, and a servant briskly stepped through, before bowing.

"Presenting Lord Zero Shinzaki."

_I'm a Lord? When'd that happen?_ The winged warrior thought to himself.

"I take it you're done then." Arietta spoke from her place. She patted the empty seat next to her.

"Yeah. T'was a right drain but, I think it was worth it." He said, slipping in the chair next to her. She piled some chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy and string beans onto his plate.

"Eat. I'm feeling ravenous just being around you and I'm not even all that hungry."

He chuckled slightly, grabbing his knife and fork before giving her a swift peck on the cheek. "Sorry, I'll deal with that." And thus, he dug in.

"So what was that all about anyway? Why'd you need a Marble?" She asked, taking point for everyone else, who seemed to be content just watching. Anise noted how much Arietta had changed since Zero appeared in their lives. The girl was so _bright_ now! Happy _and _intelligent. Before, Arietta's depression kept her quiet, so she seemed dumb, especially since she kept referring to herself in the third person.

"What I wanted to make was _just _outside Marta's capabilities." He said after swallowing. "The components were gathered easily enough, but putting them together would have taken months naturally, as well as the end result not being able to perform as well as I wanted it to. So she suggested to just use a Marble to get it done."

"What is it?" Arietta pressed.

"A weapon. For Meryl."

The girl in question stopped eating suddenly, blinking owlishly at Zero. "F-for me?"

"Yep. I won't spoil it yet though. Once we're all full then I can give it to you."

Everyone's head was filled with wonder of what type of weapon Zero created, that would require such a dangerous method to make?

* * *

He'd introduced them to his creation. Two small curved daggers that could magically join together at the hilt to become a makeshift longbow. He gave them all a demonstration by having her put on the two small golden bracelets on both her wrists, and picking up the daggers. When she did, she felt a soft hum run through her body. When asked, he explained that it was a sign that the weapon had accepted her as its wielder.

He explained that the bracelets were key to the weapon's secondary form and abilities, for without wearing them it'd just be a pair of fancy looking daggers. When combined, the bracelets would then trigger a soft strand of energy to form, like string, between the tips of the daggers, and with a slight swipe of her fingers in a horizontal direction, from the meeting point of the hilts, energy would gather into a near solid form and create an 'arrow of light'.

In reality, it was merely a mass of fonons shaped into an arrow-like shape. The arrow would deal physical damage, with some slight energy damage as well, but in negligible amounts. The weapon, he said, was to give her the ability to learn how not to get hit, as well as retain the skills Natalia had trained.

When Arietta asked what would happen in a Dead Zone, Zero explained that the bracelets would then drain a small bit of Meryl's energy to form the arrows.

"_Usually you don't want to be a caster in a Dead Zone anyway, so you especially need to learn to get in close."_

And then, he took her for training.

* * *

It was months in, and she still couldn't lay a scratch on him. He was doing nothing more than evading or deflecting her attacks with his staff. While he praised her progress, saying he had to try a little more each day, she was still frustrated with what she believed to be an inability to grasp simple concepts. Needless to say, she was pissed.

She hit the ground, rolling back, panting heavily. Zero held his staff by the circular end, clutching the cross within like the hilt of a sword. Meryl growled in frustration. Still she couldn't land a hit! It didn't matter what he said, she saw no progress for herself. Just one hit was all she wanted, but she was incapable of doing even that. She felt something bubble inside her, a desire like never before. She needed, no…she _wanted _to get him. Just once.

Surprising Zero, she let out a guttural scream to the heavens. He felt an unusual pressure wrap around his form, his eyes widening as he realized she was doing something _different_. She threw her right hand up, as if reaching for the sun, when the golden bracelet around her right wrist began to flare with light. A shimmering star of white appeared above her, glittering in their eyes. Meryl leapt at it with all her might, slamming her hand into it. Zero stared in shock as the girl seemed to pulse with holy energy. She was charging a _powerful _Light attack. Quickly he banished his staff and began trying to counter. Rather than throw up a wall of darkness, he feared this maneuver would blow right through it.

She yelled again, slapping her hand to the glittering golden light-string of her bow, an extremely _dense _looking arrow appearing. She pulled back, and Zero blinked.

And he never saw again. To him, the world remained black. Panic was about to set in when he cast it aside, focusing on the direction the pressure was coming from. He threw his arms out, throwing as much Light energy in front of him as he could, shaping it to become a barrier.

She released, and the arrow shot forward at immense speed. In the blink of an eye, the arrow was upon him, slamming into his Light barrier. Were he able to see, he'd have stared in shock as her arrow seemed to _absorb _his barrier, before continuing on unimpeded. The arrow shot straight through him, before slamming into a building halfway across the island, where a massive explosion of power erupted.

As Meryl landed, her head clearing from frustration and rage, she ran over to Zero.

And screamed.

There was a hole through his chest, his arms were scorched. The stench of burnt flesh hung in the air, hands seared through to the bone, muscle charred and blackened. A huge gash of red was torn up his arms, his shirt completely obliterated, blood beginning to pool around him. The arrow had missed his heart, but completely demolished a lung, and everything on his right side. She slammed her eyes shut, threw everything she had into herself, and screamed for Luke.

* * *

He rose from the hard ground.

"Ugh…what hit me…?"

He looked around, seeing nothing but empty space. An expanse of black, with a single pathway of cobblestones, and he was lying on it.

"Oh…kay…?"

He was confused, and rightly so. He began walking along the path, noting a thin veil of mist at his feet. He rubbed his arms, surprised he was feeling cold. He stopped when he had an odd thought. _…is this cold…coming from within…or without?_

He breathed out heavily, noting that no sign of vapors could be seen. _…oh shit. Am…am I dead?_

He stared into the blackness, uncertain, before shaking his head. "Tch…even if I am…like I'm gonna let that stop me." _Break through the limits and kick reason to the curb. If Luke could survive getting his Fonons near completely scattered in the original timeline, then I can survive this._

He continued on.

* * *

Blood was everywhere.

His blood.

It was on her clothes. On her hands. She was practically swimming in it.

But she couldn't stop. If she stopped, he'd die.

Meryl poured every ounce of energy she had towards her hands. Joined by Tear, and even Luke, they fought to keep him alive, until they could get to the Tower. There, they could maybe, just maybe, use its enhancing capabilities to seal the hole in his chest completely, and possibly regenerate the blown away lung.

She was crying. But surprisingly, Arietta was kind with her. The girl was scared out of her wits, but she didn't berate or attack Meryl. Whether that attitude would remain, was left to be seen.

Noelle pushed the Albiore to its limits. There was no time. He was dying, and she had to get to the Tower ASAP. She wished she could be back there, helping keep him alive as well, but she was needed to pilot. And pilot she did.

* * *

How long had he been walking? Hours? Days? The path never ended. From the darkness it came, and into the same, it went. It didn't help that he was _bored_.

"Goddess no wonder I didn't want to die back then, it's so fucking _boring _here."

No sooner did he speak, did a brilliant flare of blue light erupt from in front of him. "Agh! Fuck!"

He closed his eyes and covered them with one hand as he moved forward, slowly. When the brightness faded, he opened his eyes, finding himself on a dark beach. The sand was a dead grey, black stones and tree-shaped objects lining his sight. He turned around, noting that he seemed to come from a giant rock. _…when the hell did I walk into Kingdom Hearts? _He sighed and sat down. _Better than nothing, I suppose._

He leaned back, staring at the moon in the sky, and closed his eyes.

_At least the ground here is soft._

* * *

It was slow.

Painfully slow.

But he was healing.

Tear and Arietta took turns continuing their song of recovery. When one got tired, or needed to eat, the other would step in, and they would change places as needed. Luke, Noelle and Meryl waited, Meryl in a frantic sleep, crying silent tears as she re-lived the memory over and over. Even though he was healing, the slightest misstep would spell his end. Until that hole was gone completely, and they repaired the internal damage, he'd be at death's door.

Luke was trying to figure out how such a thing could have happened. According to Meryl, it was a mass concentration of Light energy…but that's it. Zero should have been able to easily defend against something like that. Knowing him, sensing such a level of power would have told him to stop holding back…so what was it?

Noelle just stayed quiet, gently rubbing the goggles around her neck, lost in her own thoughts.

* * *

"I'm sorry."

Zero spoke to his companion. After he'd awoken, he found himself staring up the skirt of none other than Neprhy. She gave a smirk at him when he kept looking, asking if he enjoyed the view. After sitting next to him, explaining that Marta felt his soul leave his body and start moving to the afterlife, she was sent to catch up with him, and try to delay things.

"_Your girls are trying to restore your body, so try not to go any farther, huh?"_

"It's not your fault."

"Still…I'm sorry."

She just nodded. "I can't say I'm happy I died. I have…there's a lot of things I wanted to do. Hell I was still single."

"Really?" he asked. She nodded in response. "That's surprising." She rose an eyebrow.

"Why do you say that?"

"You're hot as hell. You could land basically anyone you want with your combination of brains and beauty."

She snorted. "Thanks for the compliment."

"Then again, you've probably had so many asshats trying to get in your pants…"

"Ugh you have no idea. It doesn't help that I lived in a town of almost perpetual snow. Such _awful _pick-up lines."

"Hey baby, you runnin a bank, cause I need to make a deposit."

She stared at him, before bursting out laughing. "Oh god yes! Just as _bad _as that one!"

"Is the snow turning to rain cause you are _hot_."

She laughed harder. That one sounded pretty close to something someone tried to use on her.

"Y'know it's pretty cold out. How's about you and I make some _heat_."

She began pounding the sand while laughing, legs kicking wildly. She hadn't laughed that hard in _years_.

"Am I close?"

"Oh, oh you have _no _idea!"

He smiled. Well, he wasn't bored anymore.

* * *

"How is he?"

Noelle had gone and picked up Anise and Guy. Anise had found out through Florian that something was _off _about the world, like someone important just vanished. Florian was growing more and more sensitive to the flows of the world ever since the Tower was built, and had made a few predictions here and there. He'd become very accurate at predicting the weather over the next few days. So when he mentioned to her that it felt like a very important and comfortable weight was removed, she flipped.

"I don't know…" Luke responded to Guy's question. Guy was brought along on Peony's request. Peony still considered Zero to be part of his kingdom, and had come to enjoy the youth's presence, though it was due to his plans that the girl he loved was dead. He couldn't hold Zero himself responsible however, since witnessing the power of a Planet firsthand.

"We aren't allowed in there yet. They need full concentration. Every now and then one of them will come out, but that's usually to go to the bathroom, or grab something to eat."

"He'll pull through. He always does. How's Nat-uhh…I mean Meryl? How's she taking this?" Guy choked on the name. It had been almost a month, but he still wasn't used to the idea that the girl he knew as Natalia was going by a different name, as well as a completely different mindset.

"Horrible. She sleeps a lot, or sits near the door. He hasn't been eating much. She still blames herself."

"Well…technically shouldn't she?" Anise asked hesitantly. "I mean, she _did _make the attack. It's not her fault he couldn't defend but…" Anise shut up seeing Guy's glare.

"no…she's right." Luke said. "And Meryl knows it. That's what's eating her up. It doesn't make sense. He should have _eaten _that like breakfast. But he didn't. And until he recovers, we won't know why…so _she _won't know."

The girl in question was once again asleep, tears rolling down her cheeks.

* * *

"So, what's goin on out there?"

"Your girls are slowly reconstructing the damage done to you. It's taking a long time, your entire right side was almost completely disintegrated apparently."

"Eesh."

Nephry was holding her knees, resting her chin between them, staring at the calm waves.

"Luke, Tear and the Princess were able to stabilize you long enough to get you to your tower, but from there…they're having a hard time of it. It's taking a lot of energy to undo the damage."

"If I was doing the helping, I could find some crystals to charge up and add to it…hey, we can't get a message to them, can we?"

Nephry shook her head. "No…Marta's using up everything she can spare towards allowing your girls to re-write the damage done to you. By all accounts you should be dead. And neither of your girls knows how to form or maintain a…what did you call it?"

"Reality Marble?"

"Yeah, that thing. Since nobody but you knows how to do that, they can't change the rules."

"Damn. What are my chances looking like?"

"You'll recover. But it'll take a fair bit. Once the damage is undone, Marta can sync your soul back to your body. She says it'll feel like putting on a familiar pair of pants. But you'll always be slightly detached because of this."

"Hmm…I guess that translates to my spirit having less connections…damn…I'm gonna have to pull a Voldemort."

"A what?"

"Ahh, dude from a book back in my world. He was an evil mage who split his soul seven times and sealed the fragments in objects. He was afraid of death so he sought ways to become immortal."

"That doesn't…sound healthy."

"It wasn't. I figure I'll just have to sync myself to a few people…make a couple Observers…I guess."

"Observer?"

"It's an idea based on a conceptual thought in my world. I don't know the full details but there was a philosophy there that went by the name of 'Schrodinger's Cat'. It was the concept of an object or being only existing as long as someone was there to say 'yes, that thing exists.' In simpler ways, the concept was that an existence could only be present as long as someone could say something like 'there's a door here'. The door would only be there as long as there's a person looking at it, and when they turned away, since they weren't consciously beholding it, it didn't exist."

"Soldiers didn't see it, I didn't do it?"

"Haha, almost exactly like that. The idea asked the question, do the things around us truly exist? Or do they only exist because we believe they do, and we're beholding them? The concept of an 'Observer' takes that idea and applies it to spirits and the like. As long as there is someone in the world 'conscious' of the observed's existence, they continue to exist."

"Hmm…I'm not too sure I get it fully."

"Think of it like this. Someone I knew impaled their foot on a nail. But they didn't know they did. All they felt was a weird pressure, and an object being where there wasn't one before. They looked down and there was a nail sticking out of their foot. **Then **the pain hit. Basically, until they looked down and _observed_ the nail being there, it technically didn't exist, thus there was no source for there to be pain, thus there was none."

"Ok that makes a little more sense. So…you'd be immortal then?"

"For a while…maybe? More like it's harder to kill me."

"As if that wasn't hard enough." She scoffed.

Zero chuckled. "Apparently not as hard as we thought if Meryl has anything to say about it. Whatever she did was extremely incredible. I thought I was the only one who knew how to manipulate Light like that. But no…I'd be closer to 'unkillable' for a while, till I'm ready to go."

Nephry nodded.

* * *

Another week had passed. The girls were still singing almost non-stop. Florian himself had come to visit once with Anise. His presence seemed to cheer Arietta slightly as well. It was on this day, that Meryl broke down, citing constant apologies on Arietta's shoulder. The fact that Zero's healing was so slow, something that worried _everyone _had the already mentally fragmented girl on the edge of her rope.

"B-barely even t-three months into m-my life, and I-I've already done something h-horrible!"

Arietta was only mildly shocked. During the downtimes between Meryl's training, Zero had begun explaining to her his theories on mentality, and the things he looked into before his death and transportation to Auldrant. Apparently Natalia had allowed Meryl to form a very deep connection to Zero, as way of both thanks, as well as hoping her new self would have someone knowledgeable in the mind arts to help her. As such, Meryl quickly grew to view Zero as an older brother, as well as her teacher.

Tired, worried, but still fully understanding the girl's plight, Arietta had one suggestion.

"Then train."

Everyone present looked at her.

"If you feel so badly, train. It was a brand new, unexplored ability of yours that caused this. It's quite obvious that you are different from Natalia, even though you share the same body. Natalia knew only physically offensive abilities, and you've displayed a powerful Fonic Arte that even Zero could not defend against. It's possible I'd be wrong, but I doubt I would be, when I say that _when _he recovers, he'll want to see this technique again. So what better way than to train for that moment?"

Meryl slowly shook her head. She _never _wanted to do that again!

"Trust me, I know it hurts to imagine it, especially knowing it was your hands, your attack that harmed him so much. But he'd probably smack you upside the head and tell you not to be stupid. It's better to understand your power than to run from it. I mean, look at Tear and I! We've got access to more power than anyone in the world save for him at this point. But we can only do so much with it because we took the time to understand it."

Slowly, Meryl began to nod. "But…I don't even know how I did it…" She said.

"You said it was a powerful arrow of Light, right? Well…I can't help right now, because I have to keep the recovery going…but there is one person in the world who was able to match my skills with Light and Dark fonons before I became an Origin."

"Me…" Anise said. The Fon Master Guardian looked right at Meryl as she spoke.

"I barely count, because I've been _touched_ by Marta…but…Light and Dark are my specialties." The girl shook her head softly. "I'll help as much as I can but-

"I relieve you of your duties for now." Spoke Florian suddenly. Anise whirled around so fast she had to blink as one of her pigtails slapped her in the face.

"Wh-what?"

"This is a lot more important than being my guardian. Hmm…" The forest hared youth mused. "I wonder if I can make that an order…"

"An…order?" Anise mumbled out.

"To help Meryl. If she's able to do so much damage to a guy you constantly cursed about being nearly invincible, it'd probably be a good idea to help her out, right?"

Anise flushed slightly when he just blurted that out, but it was true. "Y-yeah…"

"So, until he wakes up, which Arietta and Tear say he will, eventually, you can help her master that power."

Anise nodded, deciding to consider it an order from her superior.

Arietta sighed. "I have to go back. Tear's running out of energy."

"So what was he teaching you?" Anise asked, waving goodbye to Arietta as the pink haired girl left.

"We'd just gotten into casting mid-tier spells. Nat says were natural seventh fonists, so Zero was having me focus mostly on sound. That's why I'm so confused…"

"Well, there was one thing Arietta said that Zero taught her, and that's that besides the body having a natural affinity for an element, the mind can as well. So maybe you just have a stronger link to Light than Natalia does."

It was so odd talking about a girl she knew, that was in that body, like she wasn't there. But everyone had gotten used to it over time, slowly, though none as fast as Zero. He was just weird like that, she supposed.

* * *

"So how is she? The Princess I mean."

Zero looked up at the nude woman, both enjoying the view, as well as the waters surrounding him. The two, in a fit of boredom had decided to dig a trench at the water's edge and let it fill to make a makeshift pool. Surprising Zero, the ground beneath was quite warm, which made him wonder if the beach they were on was located on a volcanic island. The makeshift hot spring soothed both of them, and since neither of them wanted to find out what would happen if they went for a swim in the dark waters beyond, this gave them something to do.

"Natalia? I wouldn't know."

"The other one." Nephry huffed.

"Ahh, Meryl. Well…before my untimely death, she was doing pretty well. Natalia had somehow devised a way to let some slight traces of information through to Meryl, so she wouldn't have to start over completely like Luke did. She's quick too, quicker than Natalia was…I've been wondering if it had to do with how their minds are." He muttered, confused. He shrugged and continued.

"She might be even capable of Shunpo, which would be interesting. I've already thought up some interesting combinations if that were the case. Can you imagine? A person firing a series of arrows, and then being able to deftly step on each arrow, while firing more? In seconds the target would be blanketed with cover-fire. And that's not to mention any combinations with Earth or Wind users."

"You truly are a battle genius." Neprhy stated in awe. "My brother had the power, and the strategy, but…the way you combine such unorthodox methods…"

"Jade only thinks so far outside of the box. I take the box and put it in a completely different room after I'm done with it. Honestly though, its only here that I'm so skilled. Back _there_, we didn't have this stuff, gravity couldn't easily be told to fuck-off, fire couldn't be launched from our finger-tips without specific objects that were large and clunky…I was basically useless. All that mental skill, all those ideas for strategy and combat, but the rules of our world didn't allow for it. Really, after it really sunk in where I was, I've never felt so _free _in my life."

He shook his head. "But that's the past, another life, literally. Meryl…like with Natalia, she's got a high affinity for Sound. I started teaching her how to utilize that in an offensive manner. I might at some point, be able to teach her how to make a weak version of Luke's hyperresonance." He stated to Nephry's shock.

"Seriously?"

"It's not that difficult. Hyperresonance is just a blast of sound at such a frequency that the internal components of an object vibrate in a manner that causes them to crumble. In other words, a scream so loud it shatters glass, only replace glass with…well, anything."

"You can…teach people…how to do that?" She was stumped. Not even _Jade _could figure that out.

"Theoretically. I mean, I barely count cause I've got a pretty strong tie to Marta, and I think outside the commonplace of this world. But I should be able to. Though I'm more interested in that Arrow of Light she fired."

"What happened there anyway?"

"I dunno. First I sensed desperation coming from her, then next thing I know she's _crafting _an arrow of pure Light energy. Like, literally she was stealing the light from the area around her to make it. Hell I went _blind_ before she fired it."

"Wait back up. 'Stealing the light'? What does that mean?"

"She wielded the very _concept _of Light for a moment there. Levels even Anise doesn't yet know how to do, but has access to. She took control over the very thought, the _essence _of 'Light' and bent it to her will. There's a fictional conceptual weapon in my world known as the 'Lightsaber'. It's literally a beam of energy that emits from a small cylinder that is powerful enough to cut through practically any material in the known universe. What she did, was a projectile version of that, and I've _never _mentioned its existence to anyone until just now."

"But…how did that make you blind?"

"She drew the Concept of Light. Meaning even our ability to perceive light, she controlled for that moment. She took away my ability to perceive light, probably as a side effect of the attack, and it helped a lot. It's like if you stare into a flame, or the sun for too long, and there will be a big glowing spot in front of your eyes for a good while, only rather than a glowing spot, it's complete blackness. Because rather than being blinded by the light, you're unable to perceive it, which means you can't _see _anymore, because the brain basically registers objects through vision, by way of perceiving light refractions. Take away the ability to perceive light, you can't see a damn thing anymore."

"Incredible…"

"Really what surprises me the most is it's very similar to the way I craft my Phantom Blades. The way her weapon works is to convert energy to a physical state, or rather as near a physical state as you can get. But that's only to create the arrows. She must have somehow supercharged the bracelets to take a normal arrow and enhance it beyond normal means."

Neprhy just shook her head, both lamenting that she'd never be able to see this in person, as well as being astounded by the things that came out of this young man's head. She leaned back, relaxing in the warm waters, as her thoughts raced with possibilities.

And then he smacked his forehead. She blinked.

"GAH! What the FUCK! No **wonder **it didn't work!"

"What?" She asked, now worried.

"Oh my GOD I fucking did the _dumbest _thing! I can't believe I fucking forgot!" He raged. She just stared at him, confused.

"Of _course _the damn Light Barrier didn't work! **It wasn't a damn Light attack!**"

"What? But you just said-

"Yeah I know!" He snapped out, more pissed with himself than anything. "Ugh! I forgot the key thing to the damn bracelets. They _convert the energy gathered into a near physical state_. She didn't shoot an arrow of _**Light **_at me! It was that she _drew _the light from around her, drew from its concept, and then **the bracelets broke it all down to pure energy!**"

Then he stopped, staring into space as if overcome by a sudden stroke of genius.

"Ha…" He blinked and laughed. "Hahaha….hahahahaHAHAHAHA! AHHH HAHAHAHAHA!"

Nephry thought her companion had just lost his mind.

"Holy **SHIT!** Bloody _fucking _genius! Fuck can I make a Conceptual Weapon or **what?** Goddamn even _**I **_got confused by it! Holy shit that thing is even _better _than I thought!"

"Wh-what?" Now she was scared again. The hell was with this guy?

"Meryl's weapon. I _totally _forgot what it _really _did to make those arrows. I forgot and it damn near got me killed. Wow. Ho-ly shit. It tricked even _me_. And I **made **the damn thing! Damn this is _perfect!_" He laughed again.

* * *

It took a lot out of her, but she'd managed to replicate the event. Yet…she couldn't control it any better. She'd done everything Anise had been teaching her, and even Anise was getting stumped. Some of the others had watched a few times, trying to offer pointers, but nothing helped.

"I don't get it!" She yelled out, tears in her eyes. First she couldn't land a single scratch on him, then she nearly kills her teacher, and now she can't even control the very thing that did it. She felt like a total failure. "Nothing works! Why isn't this working!"

Anise was about to try to comfort the girl, along with Guy and Luke when a voice called out.

"Because it's not Light."

They all turned to see a tired Arietta leaning against the door.

"What?" Meryl asked, shocked.

"That arrow. It's not Light. It's just pure _energy_. I watched you do it, and I _did _see Light going into it, but what came **out **was just energy."

Meryl's eyes widened as she remembered what Zero had told her about her weapon.

"_The bracelets convert the fonons around you into pure energy, which then gets 'molded' into the form of an arrow, which you then propel."_

Her hands shot to her mouth in horror. The others looked at Arietta in shock.

"Th-that means…"

"It means he either let himself get hit, or he got tricked, just like everyone else did."

Silence. Only the soft breeze and sound of distant water could be heard.

"…Meryl…do you know what this means?" Anise spoke quietly. Noelle's eyes widened as she too came to the same realization. Meryl turned to Anise, scared.

"It means you're the _first _person out of all of us to **legitimately **land a hit on Zero Shinzaki!" Anise called out.

"I…what? N-no…you've…we've hit him before. Like Nat's arrow, and…and Luke's punch, and everything else!" she sputtered out.

Noelle shook her head. "No…those don't count." Arietta nodded.

"She's right. Natalia's arrow doesn't count because he was actively keeping himself from full power so he wouldn't kill you all. Luke's punch doesn't count because he was weakening himself to keep everything going for the conversion. And Regret's bullet doesn't count because he wasn't trying to kill or truly subdue her until _after _she shot him, plus it was a surprise attack _outside _of a confirmed battle."

"Then mine shouldn't count either, because it was a training exercise!"

"No…you used a desperation maneuver. A 'limit break' as he calls them. Such maneuvers he's aware of, sudden bursts of power or ability in critical moments. That alone would have pushed him to seriously defend. You threw everything into that, and that caused him to throw everything into his defense. And you _pierced _that defense, _while _he was at full power, focusing all that power to protecting himself." Arietta concluded. "Thus, you are the first person to land a hit on him, while he was _trying_, and not hampered by _any _sort of handicap or limit."

"That's pretty damn impressive." Anise mused.

"But…but I still…"

"Meryl. One thing Zero taught me while he was training me was that sometimes, accidents happen." Noelle said softly to the girl. "He knows he can sometimes seem untouchable, insufferably confident in himself and his skills, and that can piss people off. And that is what he looks for, that moment when they stop holding back, and put everything they have into one strike."

"_When all the cards are down, when you have nothing left to lose, and everything to gain, is when you're at your strongest. When your entire being is focused on one pure desire, when your mind, heart, and body are all in unison. That is when your full potential comes out. And when that happens, the __**real **__training can begin, because then you, and your teacher, know your full might."_

"He should be recovered soon." Arietta spoke suddenly. "Something suddenly increased the healing process. Almost like he now _really _wants to get back here, where before he was fine travelling at his own pace."

Meryl sighed in relief. "That's…that's good to hear…"

Arietta nodded, turning around. "I have to go back. Tear and I are going to try singing at the same time for it. Might speed it up more."

"You better get some sleep after this!" Anise called out. Arietta nodded. "I will when he's awake." _And every bit of it will be with him at my side._

* * *

**A/N:** Originally I had planned to keep going, but honestly, this is a good place to stop. As we can now see, Zero Shinzaki is not invincible. He is not all-knowing or all-powerful. The truth of the matter is, while writing this, **I **forgot what I had planned for the weapon to do. And then I realized, rather than it being a true Light attack, she just busted straight through, because he was defending with a specific elemental barrier, rather than one tailored to be physical.

Zero got beat by the weapon he created, and the drive and will of its user, because it did EXACTLY what he wanted it to do.

We all know I hate Natalia, and now, Natalia can easily be written out without killing her off. And now we get to see another 'possibility'. What would Meryl be like? Basically, Meryl is everything positive about Natalia that already exists, without the snobbyness, the flawed train of thought, or the shadow of her stupidity looming over her.

I realized not much went into the study of the mind in Auldrant. Biggest example was "Gloomietta". Not a single person looked at the minds of Luke or Arietta, even slightly, which is what caused them to have the lives they did. For Luke's case, he got lucky through a lack of knowledge, and having power beyond his control. Arietta wasn't so lucky. She lost everything, multiple times in her life, and was kept from the truth till the moment she died. Nobody ever thought that maybe by telling her, she'd do anything beyond take her own life. Possibly, she'd have gone crazy and looked at the fake Ion like the real one and latched on to him in a worse way, but we'll never know.

So for this chapter, I decided to take a look at the mindset of Natalia this time. We've delved into Arietta, Jade, Luke, Anise and a bit of Noelle, and of course Zero. So for this, I found it an interesting idea to see what made Natalia tick. What would happen if you took away the things she based her life around? Her life was already a lie in itself, one that ended up creating more positivity than negativity, but still a lie.

And I'll admit, Natalia's physically attractive, but her personality is horrid. As someone who practices and preaches finding and nurturing the true self, she's my complete opposite. At least Luke had the balls to question shit.

Singer of the Abyss: said it before and I'll say it again, in reality, sometimes you have to "bash" someone before they truly mature as a person. It goes more into the "manipulative" category when you're trying to conform them to what you believe. But I'll tell you this: I've done similar things to what I did to Jade, Natalia, Tear and the others in this story, to people in real life. And you know what? They got up off their asses, and _changed_. And their lives are _better_ now, because I stood before them, put my feet down, and slammed them with all the shit they were trying not to see. Some of them came back to me, asking my help to fix their lives to fit what _they _wanted them to be. Others just took my words, applied them, and grew on their own. And I'm proud of each and every one of them.

So maybe I am bashing jade. And if I do, its because I find his character to be so filled with pointless flaws and stupid actions and thoughts that he's not worth existing. Hell, I bash on everyone technically, but usually those with **power** because they don't seem to watch or care about the scope of their reach. Bashed on the Planet too, and technically Yulia and Lorelai. Some, like Luke get it easier, because they did things that showed they were just a bit on the weak willed side, rather than the blind side. Out of everyone, I can easily say Luke and Arietta are my favorite characters. Well, pre-Akzeriuth Luke. After…he's got the drive, but for the wrong reasons. Before, he's a douche and an asshat, but again, like I pointed out in this chapter and my notes, that world has NO sense of psychology whatsoever. Everyone did the wrong things when dealing with him after he was 'created' and they thought he just forgot. Jade had all that power, and he went crazy with it. But after he went crazy, and it screwed things up for him, he **didn't change**. He simply pushed aside his past, and cut himself off from most emotions. He never grew truthfully, he never learned the lesson that was right in front of his face. And if it wasn't for pure Luck, and Luke's stubbornness, the story of ToA would have come out a LOT different.


	13. Child of Light

It had been a long while. They'd all waited with baited breath.

The door opened. Both girls stepped out.

Something was wrong.

Rather than smiles, or sagging relief…pain. Anguish.

All was silent.

Until Arietta broke down in tears.

It would seem…that something, in the last few moments, changed.

Rather than recovering, for some reason, the restoration halted, and then rapidly reversed. The two had watched in horrified confusion as the slowly recovering body suddenly fragmented, breaking apart. Blood spiraled everywhere, flesh was torn, bones were shattered. Before their eyes, they watched him die…completely and utterly.

Nothing was left. Just stains, and chunks of flesh.

Zero…was dead.

* * *

It was a quiet, somber group that slowly walked the streets of Grand Chokmah. Arietta was silent, reverting almost completely back to her disturbed mindset, prior to encountering the now dead Zero. Though that strange tick in the back of her mind, that quiet spark that represented their loving connection had not faded, its calming beats, the shimmering light of their love for one another was blinded, silenced. She had become deafened to its cries, stating that he was _Zero!_ He had defied a goddess, wielded power beyond all means, changed a _planet_ for the sake of his love! Death itself feared him!

These truths rang in her head, but one cannot listen to that which one cannot hear.

* * *

A spark of light.

A wave of air.

The sound of a very loud ringing noise.

The colors of blood inverted from a dark red to a stark black. The walls became murky, the air tinged an angry raging grey.

And then suddenly…

The sound of a heartbeat.

* * *

Anise had become worried. It was bad enough when it was Meryl, but now that Arietta had withdrawn into herself as well…and Arietta was one of two keys required to operating the very _world_…

But she was not stupid. Though she had only been _touched _once by Marta, granted far more power than she'd ever dreamed of, her once fears of the enigmatic Zero had led to her paying _close _attention to him. And there was one thing about him she'd learned.

He didn't do _anything _in halves.

So when the girls told them all, that suddenly, something had changed, all of that progress was now _gone_, reversed until he died, shredded from within…something wasn't _right _in her mind.

There was no subconscious reassurance. No faint glittering voice on the winds, or even in her heart. No sudden epiphany that things were strange. It was pure logic. Zero, while not invincible, knew too well how, and why Death could come. He was too knowledgeable, too skilled, too _powerful_ to die to something like that. The fact that his recovery had surged forward, through no acts of the Administrators, was proof. _Something _changed in those last few minutes. The way they described it, his recovery suddenly halting, nearly complete, before _rapidly _reversing itself…

It was strange enough, that it had suddenly jumped forward. Arietta's notion that perhaps now he was actively _trying _to recover, rather than just proceeding at a sedate pace, rang something in her mind. This was the man who had _copied_, not just that, but **dissected **the Hyperresonance. Not only that, but he used it to deadly effectiveness, in eradicating not just the miasma inside Arietta's body, but also _changing _Natalia's genetic structure, forcing all of her internal stores of naturally given eggs to _terminate_ all at once.

He'd generated enough of a frequency that he either shattered the cells all at the same time, or he forced her body to internally, in that one section, rapidly age so her body would believe they had been all used up, and forced them to expel upon her next cycle. Regardless, this was a man who had taken the world they knew, the things they could do, and _shat _on them.

But they wouldn't believe her. She knew it. So she decided to wait. As they reached the outside of the Palace, she thought to bide her time. Zero himself had drilled it in her head, through his harsh hatred of her, through his kind, soft directives, that she was young. And she should _embrace _that youth, for she was given an opportunity to place herself in the same locations as adults. But not that, no, that wasn't the important part. The important part was that she would be given an opportunity to _see _what they saw…but from the perspective of one who wasn't burdened with their thoughts, or experiences.

Granted, she had become; a chance to see the world of an adult, through the eyes of a child…and be able to _exercise _her findings.

Thus, she decided to hold her tongue.

After all…one doesn't get _touched _by Zero Shinzaki, as she had been, that day he had her learn **control**…without beginning to _understand_.

* * *

The heartbeat raged. The glow became a brilliant sphere of silver. With nobody around to see it, none witnessed the soft fragments of particles of flesh, dead, ripped off skin, dried bits of blood…pieces of Zero's shattered body; all begin to rise and revolve around the glowing sphere that had ripped into place where his heart once lay. The silver orb shimmered brilliantly, radiating all forms of color along the walls. The scraps of his destroyed form began to rise, spinning, gathering, conforming. The glowing orb flared with light once, tendrils of unknown power gently gliding out of its visage, weaving around elegantly like a well crafted web.

A haze had filled the room, a buzzing, whining, tinny sound of meager yet immense proportions. An unfathomable pressure erupted into place, as the very concept of light flickered back and forth. Were any to be watching, their sight would be taken, then granted, and then taken once again.

Yet all, would know they beheld but one thing.

Power.

* * *

Heavily, Peony slumped back into his chair. This year _sucked_. It was bad enough that Nephry died at the hands of an angry Goddess, but now, the one person who could curtail and commune with that goddess, was dead. Dead from a _training accident _no less. None of it made sense to him. He'd seen first-hand how powerful Zero Shinzaki had become. So how was it that he had been _killed_ by something he should have easily deflected?

_Because as powerful as he was, he was still just a man. And all men, no matter how strong, are mortal._

With a heavy sigh, he gathered his wits about him.

"Very well…it pains me but we have to currently step past this. What will happen to the to-

***creeeeaaak***

Slowly the meeting hall doors creaked open. Swiftly a single servant stepped in, before bowing low.

"Presenting, the Lord Shinigami, and his cohort."

* * *

With measured steps, the two walked.

People waved in greeting, receiving a soft smile, or a curt nod back. They knew one of the two walking, though wondered who the second was. Nevertheless, they greeted the both of them.

None gave into pointless conversation though. The two, while appearing casual, moved at the clip of those who were on important business. They would simply have to catch up at a later time.

The two passed through the port, walking past the giant wall of liquid that displayed the power and splendor of water's force. They acknowledged, and were acknowledged by both sailor and fisherman alike, pleasant greetings exchanged as the two continued their rapid clip towards the Palace.

* * *

The title alone caused all of them to blink. Arietta perked her head up slightly at the words, recognizing one of them was…_familiar_. She took a deep breath, eyes widening as her senses recognized the scent.

Slowly, through the doors stepped two people. A male and Female. The male was dressed casually, a simple dark red shirt with a black rendition of the glyph of Chaos on the front, under a black leather sleeveless jacket. Unseen was the embroidered glyph of Xen on the back of the jacket. Long black pants slightly over similarly colored combat boots with dark, blood red laces. He, they recognized, eyes widening in shock.

It was the woman that was unfamiliar. Tall, leggy, but with dark, blood red hair cascading down to her waist. Piercing green eyes stared at the group, her arms crossed under an impressive bosom. She wore a dark orange body-suit, looking the color of flame. High-heeled but open-toed boots completed the look, toenails painted the color of blood. Her skin was light, with a very faint hint of an olive color. Through thin half-glasses, she peered at the world, taking in her partner's allies.

"No…no way…you died…!" Luke stammered out.

"Well. It's about time you showed up." Everyone whirled to Anise, who had a surprising smirk on her face. "Somehow I was the only one that even bothered to even think of you still being alive."

"Guess that explains why I felt like shit when I woke up. Well, more than I expected at least." Was the reply.

"Even Gloomietta thought you were gone. You've got work to do with her if out of the two of us **I **was the only one who believed." Anise quipped.

"Indeed. I thank you for that then, Anise. If you'd given up like the rest I _might _not have been able to come back."

A shrill screech, and Arietta _charged _the man, slamming into his chest, which he had expected. She was yelling at him at the top of her lungs at an accelerated pace, words barely comprehensible. But it wasn't her words that needed to be understood, just her feelings.

"I know kit…I'm sorry. I forgot what I made that damn thing capable of."

"**WHY?"**

Was the only thing they could all get.

"Well…I started fading out of…wherever I was…when I asked Marta how it was you girls were recovering me. She said it was by mimicking re-forging my body back to the way it was prior to the hit. Problem with that is, the body continues to grow, even after horrible injury, hell even after death, for a while. So I realized, one part of me would be _weaker _than the rest. Less stable, if only just. And considering the crap we have to do…well, I figured that wasn't really a good outcome. So I told her to anchor my soul to someone, and I'd use the Ideya of Comprehension to re-make my body back the way it was before the accident. Only that required the _old _body to be broken down entirely, to be re-forged."

Arietta pulled away, staring at him in shock. "You…you can do that…?"

"Barely?" he said with an awkward smile. "It was _really _pushing the limits of what could be done without a Marble, but considering the Ideya of Comprehension isn't just a collective of fonons, but an actual solidified object of _Concept_ I could pull it off. It's like making a Replica body honestly, only rather than making a false physical form using genetic and vague fonic sequence, you're…copying an 'image' of someone, and then putting it back where it used to be."

"So…you're a replica now?" Arietta asked.

"Nah, I'm all me. Basically think of it as taking a picture of 'me' and putting it in another picture. The world's memory of how I was before the accident, was 'copied' and then placed in the current time. It's really shaky temporal manipulation stuff, more complex than even I can figure out."

"And the…umm. 'Soul Anchor' thing?" She pushed.

"Back where I come from, there's a conceptual theorem called "Schrodinger's Cat". The idea is to question: 'Do the things we believe exist? Or do they only exist because we think they do?' Generally it's put like this, the idea of a box, with a Cat inside. You stab the cat, but close the box and walk away. The question becomes 'is the cat dead, or alive?' You can't look in the box to tell, so ultimately it's decided, its both."

The redhead next to him rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, there's other ways of checking, but then comes the next stage. You leave the room. Now what? Enough time has passed for the cat to die…but can you really be certain? In the end, rather than just sticking with the idea of it's both alive and dead, people have decided it's half alive, half dead. Not entirely either. But either way, you can't confirm it, because you're not there to see it. It's like the glass half empty or half full thing. It's all perception and thought. It's whatever you believe it to be. The whole idea led to the thought of an 'Observer'. A person with the ability to make real, things that technically shouldn't be. The 'soul anchor' thing was me having Marta lock my conceptual existence onto the same lifeline as someone who _believed_ I could still return. It didn't matter how, just that it was possible."

Arietta stared at him. "And…and…Anise…"

"I apparently was the only one who thought he'd still come back." Anise pushed.

"I…" Tears welled up in Arietta's eyes, to which Zero simply held her tightly.

"It's alright Ari. You haven't had much to believe in until I came around. And even with all the crazy shit that we've done, it's hard to let go of years and years of impulse."

She shook her head. "No! I should have-

"Should have, yes, but you didn't, and for good reason. I don't know what it must have looked like from your end but I know I definitely pulled _really _hard on my body's lifeline. It was a risk but it was a risk worth taking. As it is, because of me nearly dying, I'm already a little loose."

"Loose? Loose how?" Arietta stared into his eyes, frantic hysterical need inside her own.

"Well…" He was actually a bit nervous.

"According to Marta…my soul's been jarred too many times from its resting place. The…ties…that bind me to mortality are much weaker. I guess I'm pissing Death off a bit. Honestly I'm not surprised. You don't get so far near the Realm of Death without there being some consequence. But like I said, as long as someone here _Observes _me, I can probably come back. Most likely."

"…you don't sound very confident." She spoke in a shaky voice.

"Death…may be something I know well, but even I don't know all of its secrets. Why do you think I've been trying to _avoid _her so badly? I _really _don't want to find out I've used up my remaining lives, and I've got no continues."

"…what…?" Arietta was very confused. For many reasons.

"Sorry…gamer thing."

She shook her head. "You're back now…right? This…this isn't some horrible dream I'm having while we're still on our way here…right?"

"Err…If it is then you've got one pretty damn powerful imagination cause it's tricking even me into thinking this is real."

"I'll go with that then."

And then she slapped him.

"…_ow!_"

"**That **was for not even _fucking _warning me that something like that could happen!"

"I…didn't know?" That slap really hurt. Zero concluded she pushed all of her wild emotions into it.

"Damn woman…my ears are ringing."

"_Good!_" She stomped away as Noelle slid up beside him.

**THWACK**

And she proceeded to slap his _other _cheek. Just as hard.

"Double-eyuu Tee Eff woman?"

"What she said." And then she too walked back towards the group.

Meryl approached. Zero sighed, rubbing his stinging cheek before shaking his head. "Well considering they got both cheeks you're either going to punch me in the face or kick me in the nads." He closed his eyes.

"Best get it over with then."

A beat passed.

And then another.

He felt something touch his cheeks, a gentle warm sensation. He opened one eye, seeing Meryl staring right at him, hands on his face, eyes brimming with tears. In a flush of energy he felt her fonons graft onto his, the angry tingling fading away into nothing. His second eye opened, Zero blinking at her. Her hands dropped down to his shoulders before she pulled herself close to him, and squeezed.

The wetness on his neck told him what she was feeling, and he gently wrapped his arms around her waist, sighing into her hair.

"_I'm sorry…_" She spoke in a small voice.

Zero sighed again. "No Meryl…**I'm **sorry. I forgot what I made your weapon capable of. I made a mistake. You did _exactly _what I wanted you to. You were incredible. I didn't even realize what happened until at least a few days into my unconsciousness. I outdid myself in making that thing, and you performed perfectly, wielding it." He gently pushed her, making her back up slightly, so he could properly look into her eyes.

Lifting his thumbs he wiped away her tears and smiled at her. "You did _nothing _wrong, and everything **right**. And now we both know what you're truly capable of."

She nodded slowly, eyes drooping. He blinked in surprise. Her energy levels were so _low!_ She shivered a bit, wobbling, unsteady on her feet. In seconds he'd felt the shift in her body, the tension in her muscles fade. He blinked again, before shifting his own weight, seconds before she tilted forward. He caught her easily, feeling her breathing slow, her body becoming lax.

"…she hasn't been sleeping well, has she…?" Zero spoke softly, but just loud enough for his voice to carry.

"No. She hasn't Sensei. Not since the accident." Luke confirmed.

"I see. I can't say I'm not surprised. I rather expected some of Natalia's dislike of me to carry over."

"It didn't." Meryl spoke, a much harder, thicker tone coming from between her lips.

Zero looked down, surprised. He missed the shocked looks on everyone else's faces as well. They **all** thought Natalia had faded away.

"I can't open my eyes or else I'll risk pushing her back at the moment. But I can say my feelings towards you have not influenced her in any way. She is aware of them, but I've allowed her to form her own opinions of you." The girl spoke.

"Natalia. You speak as if you are completely separate beings." Zero mused.

"In a sense, we are. She is what I could have been, were I not raised a Princess. Do not think my dislike of you has made me fully ignorant of your ways, Zero. Whenever you spoke, though I detested you, I listened. The lessons you taught Tear, Luke, even Anise, I remember. And I have let her remember as well. She is me, pure, untainted, untamed. But at the same time, she is herself."

"I have to commemorate you on a job very well done then, Natalia. Even without my tutelage in how to perform it, you managed to create a clean break in mentalities, allowing both to act independently, as separate entities sharing one form. No contamination, as of yet at least, and no interruption. That's something that took years and years of training, practice, and teaching before people back there could do it."

"Unless they were you." She countered.

"I…guess…you could call me a sort of prodigy in the mental arts. I always believed in mind over matter."

"You know I am in control at the moment, and yet you still hold me so tenderly."

"You in control or not, this body is still partially Meryl's." He lowered his gaze to her crown. "Unless you wish for me to stop?"

"…no…" she said with a wavering tone. "Your…assessment…is not entirely accurate. There…_has _been contamination. However that contamination was…from her…to me."

Eyebrows rose all around. It was a bit out of their league, but they could all generally get the gist of the conversation.

"Elaborate?"

"I have felt her feelings for you. I cannot say she nor I can properly classify them, but she feels _something _towards you. You mean…far more to her than anyone else present here. You were the first person who spoke to her as a different being, to recognize that she was living by a different set of rules and realities than myself. You were the first to grant her clothing, the first to give her a means to remain secure, inside her own body, inside her own _mind_ and in this chaotic world you are forging. You were the first to teach her how to tap into some of _my _natural abilities, how to use the muscle memory that is within this body, to deadly effectiveness.

You are…everything, to her. What exactly everything is, I cannot say, but you mean more to her than this whole world. She was _devastated _when you were on the cusp of death. I saw her nightmares, though I was unable to interfere or relieve her of them. I _felt _her guilt, the guilt she bore for not only harming the first person to be _there_ for her, but the love of her closest friends as well. She blamed herself, heavily, barely slept, and when she did, she was horribly burdened.

You…she _loves_ you. How, why, in what manner, I do not know. But she has come to _cherish _you, more than any other, though she can vaguely sense Luke's presence in our mind. She knows of our history, knows that you and I have never been friends, and almost enemies at best. She knows that, using this body, she cannot bear children, because of something _you _did, but she also knows that you reacted to something _I _did, and at the time, she was barely a concept. She loves you…and…"

He felt her body shift, pulling away slightly. Meryl's eyes opened slowly. They blinked, as if adjusting to the concept of sight again. During this time, he could _see _the difference. There was a way that the two minds held themselves, that spoke volumes of whom was in control, and whom wasn't. Zero could clearly tell that Natalia had taken control, though the weakness of her stance, the strange lack of strength in her muscles, though tense they were, signified this was a temporary thing.

Meryl was so deeply exhausted that she had unknowingly fallen deep into their collective subconscious to recover, secure in the knowledge that Zero _didn't _blame her, and that he was alive and healthy.

"…And I…" Natalia took a shuddering breath. "…I…have…come to love you as well."

Zero _almost _dropped her.

_You've __**got **__to be kidding me._

"It…is difficult…for me to accept, believe me. But I understand. I have said it before, I have always _feared _you, from the beginning, when you challenged Luke, and defeated him so effortlessly. The fear I held for you tripled when we _all _saw your aura begin to writhe, coiling like an angered snake ready to strike us down, in defense of Luke. It grew even more when you stood against us, battling in Arietta's name, casting us aside like we were mere toys. I was ready to _die _when you attacked me, I was prepared for my end. And gods, the _pain _I felt when you took my children from me…it was incomprehensible.

To me…you were a threat, an unknown, an unstable, untrustworthy demon that could turn on us at any moment. But even then, I had to acknowledge your loyalty to Luke, your obvious love for Arietta, as you tore into her very being with a power that even the greatest minds of our world could not fully comprehend. You crushed Van, you crushed _us_. And yet…seeing the _fear_ in your eyes, for that brief moment, when you thought we had all been lost, replaced…it jarred my fear, my hatred. The demon I'd come to loathe, to wish to flee from, was _human_ after all... But by then, I had held strong to my hatred, to my pain.

And then I asked. I asked that horrible question…and everything fell apart around my ears. I _gave _you my body, I _gave _you the chance to take me in whatever way you wished. I _wanted_ you to take me! I _wanted _you to do things to me, to touch me, violate me in every possible way! I was sick! I was tired of the lies, tired of the pain and confusion! And when I gave you that chance, I so _badly _wanted you to take it, to let _one _thing in my life be true…But then…then I saw your eyes. I felt your sadness that I saw you in such a way. And it _hurt_. Because it confirmed that I _had_ been living a lie, that I was _wrong _about **everything**. But then…then you opened my mind. You led me to myself, to _understand_ **me**…in ways I had not bothered to before. I _know _I was dying, I could feel it. And you…the man who showed nothing but contempt for me…the man who took my future children from me…the man who came and disrupted my life, turning everything into a whirlwind of chaos..."

She reached up and touched his face, gently.

"…A man who was willing to risk everything for one chance, one _life_…a man who trained, and trained, bled, sweat, cried…all for one existence, one _chance_ that he could save someone who was meant to have a meaningless end…the man who had taken what was _meant _to happen, and _changed_ it, so we **all **could have a stronger chance at life…you are many things, Sir Zero…but I have come to learn…that one thing you are _not_…is the monster I believed you to be."

Silence.

She took a shuddering breath, and continued.

"I have seen you through innocent eyes. It began with Arietta, grew stronger when I watched you _teach _Anise so gently…and finalized with my own other self. She…loves you…Sir Zero. And I…can say now, I understand why. I can never forget the pain you have put me through…but I know that pain was brought about by my own stupidity. You were willing to ignore my existence for the sake of Luke, but I pushed you. I pushed you, and I learned, first-hand, what it means to do so. And rather than see things objectively, as a _true noble_ is meant to, I went against my own _thoughts_ and lashed out in foolishness. I caused the deaths of those many knights who fell by your hand. Seeing them squirm, watching them _explode_…it scared me.

And it made me sick. Because even _then_ I knew, it wasn't by your will they died, but mine. I…was living a lie. A lie that you brought to light. A lie that you gave me a chance to correct. I will never forget my pain…but I have learned from it. You are…a very unique person…and…I can say now…I am happy that I had the chance to meet you."

He could speak no words. He didn't expect any of that. She gave him a soft smile, and a gentle kiss on the cheek. Even the red-haired woman next to him was mildly interested in the development. Everyone else however was dead shocked. To hear her admission, to _learn _what went on between the two of them in that dive…and to see firsthand how deeply her pain and fear went…

Only for it all to change.

_This _time. Arietta allowed herself to feel pity for the princess. Both of them had been living a lie perpetuated by those they trusted. Both of them had those lies torn apart by Zero.

_Both _of them had their very minds opened up, their lives torn apart, yet re-built, because of one man.

"Facing…your true self…" Zero spoke softly.

Natalia nodded. Leaning back into him, and closing her eyes.

"I have come to terms with the shadow of my existence…the one I created by my suppressed feelings. Now my shadow, my other self, is in control…and I'm glad. For now…we are two separate beings…but…maybe perhaps one day…we can become one again."

"A worthy goal."

She nodded again, sighing softly. He felt the tension in her begin to fade.

"Please…do me one last favor?"

She felt him shift, signifying his attention.

"…please…take care of us."

He nodded slowly.

He couldn't see it, but he felt her fingers curl around his back tighter as she smiled.

"…thank you…"

* * *

After that, it was decided that the group would re-convene the next day. Peony allowed the group guest rooms in the castle for the evening, after Zero stated that Meryl's energy levels were so horribly depleted, she probably wouldn't wake until morning. Of course, due to the nature of her exhaustion, the girl refused to let Zero go, tensing up and clutching his clothing whenever he tried to part from her. Arietta performed the same, refusing to leave his side, even though he was stuck holding onto Meryl for the night.

The red-head however had left for a short time.

"I will return soon Master. I wish to survey the area."

"Go ahead."

"Hey…why is it when I tried to call you that you got all weird?" Luke asked.

"Well…you might be a redhead, and I guess from afar you could count as 'pretty', but Luke, you're no woman."

"…I don't know whether to be relieved or offended."

**THWACK**

"Ow! Dammit Ari!"

"Try both. It works wonders." She quipped.

* * *

The next day came. And even though she woke, Meryl still wished to be as close to Zero as possible. Peony had the group gather in what he called his "comfort room". A lush space within the castle offering a beautiful ocean view, colored in deep ocean blues and sunny gold. Many chairs for relaxing, bookcases, even a few billiard tables were scattered about. Zero found himself sitting on one of the many couches, with Arietta in his lap, Meryl on his left and Noelle on his right. The red-head, was next to Meryl.

"Ok, so we all know how you came back. Now…who is _she_?" Peony asked.

Zero nodded at the woman, who stood.

"I am detached battle Murakumo Unit type Zero-Zero-One, assigned to the Sacred Tower Sol Marta, code name: Nephtys."

Silence.

"She's a Child of Light, though I haven't gotten around to making her weaponry yet. I'm planning on getting on that very soon."

That seemed to placate some of them…but Jade and Peony just stared. Suddenly, as if a switch were flicked in both their minds, at once, they spoke.

"…Nephry…?"

Zero blinked. "Huh, you figured it out." Eyes whirled to him.

"She's not Nephry though. She's only part of Nephry. See, the thing is, while I was on Death's Beach as I call it, I ran into Nephry, who was apparently sent to stop me from crossing over entirely, while Marta linked my soul to the girls…"

* * *

"Can it be done?"

"hmm…"

Not long after his revelation, Marta herself, looking tired, but still graceful, appeared. They invited the caramel skinned woman-being to join them in their relaxations. The formed sentience of the planet Auldrant lay in the soothing waters, enjoying the conceptual 'hot spring' and its effects upon her existence.

"It would require some re-wiring…especially since it has been confirmed she is gone. The people acknowledge this, and I have acknowledged this."

"Yeah but she wouldn't be 'coming back'. She would be…I guess born is the best way to put it. 'Installed' if anything."

"I wouldn't?"

The two beings were speaking of Neprhy.

"In a sense, no. You'd have your memories, well, I think…and generally the same form, but you wouldn't be human, and you wouldn't be…Nephry. You'd be Nephtis, Child of Light of the Tower of Sol Marta."

"A designation change?" Marta herself asked.

"In a sense. More like 'Xenmaru' was merely a placeholder name. I'd planned on making a different name for the tower anyway, and Sol Marta is a good start. Plus it kinda fits. The Tower of Rem _was _in the east, thus it's the highest point you can see the sunrise from." He explained.

"Tower of the Sun Mother…interesting. I acknowledge the name. As for your question…how would you be working this?"

"Replica. You give me a small sample of her blood, I use one of the fomicry machines still lying around on Ferris, we make a replica of her, but alter it. Different hair color, slightly different vocal pattern…different eye color too. On the body I can inscribe seals that will 'summon' her armor and weaponry, connected to the tower. Honestly later on, I was planning on letting a settlement form around at least one of the towers, so that way people could work in maintaining it and whatnot, protect it…stuff like that. She would just be…the semi-final defense."

"And this would be Tear's tower, correct?"

"Yes. I'm gonna build a different one…well…less of a tower and more of a…thing…for Arietta. I'll have to find someone to be the third though…but I'll worry about that later."

"So…wait…what…exactly is a Child of Light again?" Nephry asked.

"A **Child of Light** is the ultimate in Tower Defense. It is a being specifically constructed to protect the inner workings of the tower, and the administrator, from outward attack. Usually, the Child of Light is an artificial humanoid, grafted with armor and weaponry capable of decimating entire cities in few strokes or blasts. To put it on a power scale…most Administrators are not made for combat, they're made to maintain and utilize the various sections of the tower, so life can continue. However, Arietta and Tear…to use the game terminology would be Beta Class.

The terms went like this, Administrators were Origins, they were the originals. Artificial humans created for the sake of connecting to the heart of the world through the tower. Beta Class were then made to be _better _than the origins. Stronger, faster, capable of much swifter processing speeds, able to pull out spells quicker, able to manipulate the tower quicker. They were made that way specifically for combat purposes. To make a comparison, an Origin, Shurelia, did battle against a Beta, Mule. Every time they used the same spell, Mule's would come out first, because she could process things faster than Shurelia could.

But since both Tear and Arietta were previously combatants, and natural mages at that, the power they've been given puts them on the scale of Beta Class, rather than simply Origins. Origins are powerful indeed, but they aren't _made _for combat. It's like how you can fight someone, and be ok at it, but if you fought against someone who trained all their life, you'd lose eight times out of ten. And those two victories would be circumstantial." He gave his explanation.

"Ok, so where does that put the Child of Light?"

"The Child of Light is equivalent to just below Mule's capabilities, to keep the trend going. So basically, for here, a Child of Light would have power comparable to Luke's current strength. Still _weaker _than Tear or Arietta, but only because those two have extensive battle experience, to back up their destructive AND creative abilities. Luke has no real creational abilities, and neither really does a Child of Light. So yeah, a Child of Light would naturally be as strong as Luke currently is. But that's just raw power. Their battle capabilities differ from model to model."

Nephry sunk down into the waters. "So…let me get this straight. You want _me_ to return to life in the body of a replica…and be your Child of Light?"

"One of them. You wouldn't be entirely 'you'. It'd be like Natalia and Meryl, you would be a completely different person, with some of Nephry's personality, and many of her memories, specifically instructed and trained to defend Sol Marta. Sol Marta would become your home, rarely ever leaving it. But you wouldn't have 'need' to. Basically you would defend not just the tower itself, but also the lands around it. So that entire island would be your home. And like I said, I plan on letting a settlement grow once I'm certain of things, so you will eventually still be able to socialize…assuming at that point you'd _want _to…"

"…how…how much would I lose…?"

"I can't…say. I really don't know. It's honestly up to you. I'm not going to force you into anything. I just thought, even if it's in a reduced capacity, you'd…like a second chance. Marta made a mistake in allowing you to die like that…your sacrifice…your end…it was generally meaningless. I doubt Jade will ever change his ways, even with the memory of your bloody end haunting him. If he didn't change much from traveling with Luke…and Gelda's end only made him more insane…I doubt your end will have done anything. So I'm offering a chance to change the game, alter what Marta did, and turn the end of Nephry, into something that can be looked at and seen as the beginning of a new life, rather than a meaningless end of one."

"…can I think about it?"

"I'd say yes…dunno how long you have till I wake up but…"

"I can contact you after, with her decision. You will need time to gather the required materials for not just the replication, but also her weaponry and armor, as well as synchronicity materials for maintaining connection with the tower." Marta explained.

"Right. Got some work to do."

* * *

The group stared…stunned.

"Using a bit of reality fuckery with the Ideya of Comprehension, I was able to obtain a few fragments of Nephry's soul, put it in a 'Cauldron' of sorts, and make a new body for her. The result, is this busty red-head here. She's got enough of Neprhy in her to keep her personality somewhat similar, many of her memories, but in effect is an entirely different person. A book with just enough written in it that there's plot, but not much of one.

As a Child of Light, she's very in tune with most fonons, though the final tempering will have to come soon."

Here, he turned to her.

"Did you decide what element you want to maintain?"

"I wouldn't mind being a Light elemental, master. It fits my title, as well as the design for my armor you had for me."

"Good point…kinda hard to shoot lasers without light…" he muttered.

"You…revived…my sister…?"

"No. I took some of her soul and put it in another body. Nephry is dead Jade, and you killed her. Nothing can change that. All I did was take that 'death' and turn it into a 'life.' A similar way I did for Tear. The end of 'Neprhy' was turned into the beginning of 'Nephtys'. She's not your sister. She's _my _Child of Light. One of three."

Jade was about to speak when he was cut off.

"Yes."

Everyone blinked, before they looked at Noelle. Noelle herself was looking right into Zero's eyes.

"…yes…?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes." She responded.

"Uhh…" he blinked, trying to figure out what the hell she'd be saying _'yes'_ to. She rolled her eyes.

"I'll do it."

"…you'll…do…" She watched his eyes blink up, left, down and then widen.

"Oh! Wait, really? You sure?"

"My brother may still be alive but he's functionally useless. Outside of him I've got no family. All I've got is you…and Arietta. And now Nephtys. I know…we agreed that…we'd be something if Arietta didn't take…(here Arietta blinked before looking between Noelle and Zero wildly. She knew the blonde had feelings for him but didn't know of their prior arrangement.) But now…well it doesn't look like I'll have much of a chance. And all the stuff I've seen up to this point? Seeing you, _you_ with that gaping hole in your chest, hearing that you'd _died_…"

She looked down.

"My dream…" she spoke softly.

"I've fulfilled my dream. I've touched the skies. I've done more than that…and it's been amazing. But now…I want to be more than just a pilot who can defend herself. If it means I can stay close to you…I'll do it. I'll be your Child of Light."

Arietta's body flared a sudden, violent pink. The girl herself gasped, feeling an unusual amount of fonons raging through her body. On the back of her neck, the sigil of Chaos appeared, gently flashing in and out of existence. The pink aura flared, before seeming to writhe like a raging demon. Tendrils of energy fluttered out, reaching for Noelle, before wrapping around her arms. Blonde hair began rising upon its own, before a wall of faint grey light ripped out of her form, surrounding her like a gentle coat.

They watched as the two auras seemed to flutter about in harmony, before they faded, a soft glow coming from just beneath Noelle's collar. She blinked, reaching up and pulling down the zipper on her jacket, a gently glowing grey sigil on her chest.

Now, she bore the Crest of Chaos.

"Well…Marta's made her decision then…"

As the gentle glow of the newly forged crest faded, Noelle looked up. "Marta?"

"Since it _is _her world we're forging towers on, she does have a level of say in things, though usually she goes with whatever I come up with. Like I said, I plan on making a couple more towers…and apparently she agrees with the choice of you being the Child of Light for Arietta's."

"I'm…getting my own tower?" The pink haired girl asked.

"You're getting a thing…eventually. I haven't even finished tempering Nephtys yet. But yeah, you will be."

She just smiled softly. "Cool…"

"On that note…" Zero gently nudged Arietta who stood. Zero followed, stretching.

"I need to get started. But I'm gonna need some backup."

"What are you planning on doing?" Peony asked. It hurt…especially since her reincarnation was right in front of him…but…he had to push past it.

"I need a small group to take with me. There's a guy I know who can help excavate the Ortion Caverns. But it's kinda unstable, and the thing I need is deeeep within."

"What are you after?"

"Crystals. Stronger ones. The ones I used to make my Bracelets are fine for just that, but if I'm going to be forging Murakumo and Kusanagi armor, I'm gonna need stronger ones. Metal I can get just about anywhere, but I need purer crystals to do what I'm planning. I wanted to take Luke, Tear, Ari, Noelle and Meryl with me. But I need one more person. Someone…important."

"Who?"

"…Jade." Zero looked right at the man, who blinked. He was surprised, though he didn't show it.

"And what exactly do you need me for?"

"Remember how this world was merely a Game where I'm from?"

Oh did he. "Go on…"

"Well, remember how I made a pin at just the right moment when Luke's mom got sick?"

Jade blinked. "That was part of the game as well?"

"Somewhat. It's what we call a 'Sidequest.' Meaning it's an optional task a player can take that gives bonuses, sometimes they alter the ending, sometimes they lead to better skills…"

"Wait you mean like when you suggested I keep an eye on that maid? And then had to go all over the place to get those books?"

"Yep. That was a game-long sidequest with a time-limit on it. And _all _of those moves ended up being helpful. But anyway, the excavation of the Ortion Caverns is another sidequest. An expensive one to boot but I've got ways around that. The reason I need you with us, Jade, is cause there _will _be fomicry machines. Ones I know very little about. And I only know how to work the ones on Ferris cause I spent enough time around them in _this_ life."

"…I see. Very well. I'll come along."

"Good. Gear up, grab a bite to eat and then let me know when you guys are ready."

"We aren't leaving right away?" Arietta asked.

"We'll leave when everyone's ready. Till then…I have an old friend to visit."

"Alicia, right?" Peony asked. "Today's her day off, she'll likely be at home."

"She still lives behind the shop?"

"Yes. They did some remodeling recently actually, while you were busy making the Tower. I do believe she will be pleasantly surprised."

"Just what I'm aiming for." He turned to Arietta. "So love, ready to meet my first friend here?"

"First…_friend_? Wait you mean she's the first person you became friends with?"

"And was my only friend till about after Akzeriuth."

Arietta's gaze seemed to harden. "Let's go then. It seems I have someone to thank."

* * *

**A/N:** It's been a while huh? This one isn't as long…but be glad it came out. I've been piecing it together for a while.

We all knew Zero was gonna come back, but the how was probably a bit of a surprise. Makes a bit of sense too. But I bet nobody saw Nephry coming back, even if it's in a reduced capacity.

And now Noelle is going to get an upgrade soon too. But I think, even for myself, the biggest surprise was Natalia's revelation. I won't say I was planning that. In fact I wasn't. at all. It just came out. And then I thought about it, and realized, it made sense kinda. Whatever it is that Meryl feels for Zero, it's reduced when it comes to Natalia, but she acknowledges that it exists at all.

Anyone who's played the Ortion Cavern sidequest probably knows what's coming next chapter. If you don't, or forgot, I won't spoil the surprise.

**The Fool Arcana**: in a sense, Meryl got Luke'd. only without the whole literal wiped mind portion. Think of Meryl being how everyone in the Manor wanted Luke to be, just forgetting a few things, but generally the same person. Meryl is like that. She knows fundamental things, like communication, movement, stuff like that, little things that we, being who and how old we are, take for granted. But she doesn't have the emotional attachments to people or objects like we do. Well, she does NOW but she didn't at first.

She's Natalia without all the baggage, and so much more fun to write because of it. But then again, this chapter shows that Natalia was learning just as Meryl was.

To impose a bit of realism in this, this is an actual thing, _sometimes_. If one's mind becomes damaged enough, it can, and provided their internal survival instinct is strong enough, _will _split. The split usually isn't clean however. But when it is, the primary mentality might be shunned aside for the secondary, with the secondary taking hold in a near permanent basis. From there, it's entirely possible for the primary mind to reconfigure itself, based on what the secondary line of thoughts has experienced. Sometimes the break is of clean opposites. Other times it's heavy similarities but with key things, things that usually the people who caused said break in the first place, don't notice. In the case of Meryl and Natalia, it's a clean break, but Natalia has been 'aware' of what Meryl has been feeling, and has been seeing life through clean eyes.

Also I have a picture of Natalia in the Star of Malkuth outfit, and she looks far too hot to be considered Natalia, especially since that outfit truly doesn't button up all the way. Not something you'd see Natalia herself wearing, but Meryl on the other hand…

**Singer-of-the-Abyss**: Well this one's shorter. You have good points, and hopefully this one won't put you to sleep. I'm glad you like Meryl. I like Meryl too. She's too fun to write, though the last bits of last chapter, and most of this one have been more somber. I imagine her as a more bubbly, happier, _freer_ Natalia. No baggage of being a princess, just, there to enjoy life. And before any complaints, it's not hard to believe she feels something strong for Zero. After all, like Natalia said, he was the first to treat her like her own person.

Zero was never meant to be Invincible. Hell the fight against everyone when he converted the tower, and Nephry died, was meant to show he wasn't. There were little bits here and there, to show he wasn't invincible. Hard to kill, yes, but not invincible. Arrow to the chest, stomped on by the Gold Dragon, shot in the head from Regret, beaten, almost killed in battle against Luke and the others… You have to remember, he doesn't play by their rules. He plays by his own rules.

He spent eight long years, purely training, learning everything he could through his own experiments with the elements, including combinations. That alone puts him on the level of Jade. Add in that Marta dicked around with his fonons as well, his wings unintentionally acting like superchargers, and he's on the level of Neblim. Gameplay wise, since Jade is a PC, he's not hard to kill, but if he was a boss, he'd probably be the Magus of the game.

Zero knows how to work the Ideya of Comprehension because he can 'look outside the box' so to speak. But him coming back the way he did wasn't without it's downsides. He's not any weaker, not really, but now, he's gotta be careful. If someone were to get a good shot in, lucky or not, he might not be able to come back again. Or he might get displaced. Since he works so deeply with Conceptual Existence, it's hard to say what would happen to him. He's powerful, but remember, his goal was to become a God of that world, to keep Arietta safe. He's practically reached that goal. And one can't be a God if one can easily be killed. He's got too strong a will, he's going to keep fighting Death off until he's done what he desires to do, and considering this world has magi-technology to make near-perfect clones…

Keep this in mind though. The world was taxed badly enough with just using Fomicry machines.

What do you think it did to re-forge his body from the ground up…_without _one?


End file.
